Self Respect

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