Respecting Yourself And Others

I have come to realise that someone who cannot respect themself may also find it difficult to respect others. Of course, you can only give from the abundance of what you have. You do not expect to receive something from someone who has none. So in order to respect others, which is a very vital requirement for effective interpersonal relationship, you need to start by respecting yourself. Here we shall take a look at the various ways by which someone can show respect to others, while at the same time, doing the same for their own self.

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The first point of call is to learn to mind your business and stay out of other people's businesses if you are not invited. Everyone has a boundary which you need to respect. If someone does not invite you or seek for your opinion, then do not go giving unsolicited opinions; see it as their own personal boundary which you need to keep off from. Be too busy with things that are worthwhile so you will not have time to hop from one opinion to another. If they do not seek for you, then do not force yourself on them. For the fact that they do not seek for your input means that either they do not value it or they do not need it - but whichever case it is, just keep the opinion to yourself.

Another way to respect others is to learn to listen more and talk less. In an active discussion, you need to be able to give your attention and listen more. A lot of people just hear, but they do not take time to listen. This is why they argue over everything because they do not listen to understand. When you pay attention, you will be surprised that the question you would have asked might have been answered. More so, by listening to someone, you give them a sense of feeling that you respect them and that you value them. Of course, when they see a sense of respect from you, they will also return the respect to you.

In addition to paying attention to people, you also need to show them empathy. Let them know that you also understand their own view and perception of life. And make them to know that you also feel what they do. You must not necessarily agree to what they opine, but you can welcome the opinion. By walking a mile in the shoes of others, you tend to show a high level of respect to their feelings and emotions. It does not cost much to be empathetic, rather it makes you a better person and people will also relate with you respectfully.

You need to know and use polite terms like "please," "thank you," "Excuse me," "I am sorry," etc. These terms may look very simple but they can go a very long way to show your act of respect for others. It is true that even though respect originates from the heart, it is expressed in your actions and speech. People do not know what is in your mind, but when you talk, they will relate with it. So try to be courteous and polite when you talk to people. People will also respond to you in the same manner you have talked to them.

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The next way to respect both yourself and others is to always keep promises. When you make a promise, then it is binding on you to fulfill them. When you are known to break promises, you will not be respected. Even if you tell someone something, they will commonize it because they know you will still fail on your words. No matter what happens, always try to keep to your words and do not fall back. You tend to build trust and earn more respect when they know that you are a person of your word.

The last tip on how to grow in respect is to practise positive talks. If you are always talking negatively and making vain statements, you can easily make people to lose their respect for you. But when you talk positively and say only what you need to say, you will be valued more. In addition to this, also know when to speak and when to refrain from saying anything. If what you want to say is not needed, then there is no need to say it. Say only what and when is important.

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