To respect someone is to hold them in high regard, and value them. Everyone can benefit from being treated with respect. When we don’t respect someone, we invalidate them – we treat them as valueless.
Sometimes people invalidate others if the other people hold different belief systems. Practicing a different religion or having an alternative lifestyle are some obvious differences. But there are subtle differences as well. Different ways of communicating, different fashion styles, taste in music, food, or hobbies are areas where people sometimes invalidate others. To truly respect others, we must value and appreciate our differences.
To respect others, I strive to be on time, to be polite and thankful, to listen, to withhold judgment, and to speak the truth. To respect myself, I honor my physical and spiritual needs, I eat well, I take care of my body, and I manage my time and finances in a way that lowers my stress.
To teach other to respect us, we must set personal boundaries and let them know what I will and won’t tolerate. I am working on strengthening boundaries by asking people to be punctual, truthful, and communicative.
What are your personal boundaries? How can you be respected and respect others?
