What is respect? The Webster dictionary defines it as having high
or special regards. Most people learn respect in their homes, churches,
youth organizations, etc., but it is tough for some people to understand what
self-respect is and where it comes from. Self-respect comes from within
and not from our surroundings, achievements, or appearance. When a person
respects himself or herself then others will respect them. To start respecting
ourselves we first need to realize that we all have self-worth and are valuable
no matter what. No one can take away a person’s self-worth because it is
something that we are all born with and it is important in helping a person
define their path in life. Let us take a dollar bill for example. A
dollar bill is worth $1, but if that dollar is stepped on, crumpled up, or
ripped then how much is that dollar worth then? The answer is that it is
still worth $1. The value of that dollar does not change because of what
has happened to it. That is just like us, we go through life and have
experiences that are hard on us and they can leave visible and nonvisible
scars. No matter what we have been through or what scars we have, we are still
valuable and need to realize that so we can respect ourselves. Once a
person starts to respect himself or herself then others will start showing them
more respect too, which will help that person be happier and go farther in
life.
David Homer, LCSW