What is Self-Respect and Why Is It Important?

The past few days, I have invested quite a bit of time reflecting about power and why we can give it away. Subsequently, today I wanted to share about self-respect and why it is important. So, in this post I will discuss –

• What is Respect?
• What is Self-Respect,
• 7 Self-Respect Quotes,
• The Meaning of Self-Respect for You, and
• Why is Self-Respect Important?

Let’s get started…

What is Respect?

There are many definitions on respect, including –

• Latin respectus “action of looking back, consideration, regard,” ~ Dictionary.com
• “admiration felt or shown for someone or something that you believe has good ideas or qualities” ~ Cambridge Dictionary,
• “to consider worthy of high regard” ~ Merriam-Webster Dictionary,
• “a feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable, important, etc.” ~ The Britannica Dictionary
• “If you respect someone, you have a good opinion of their character or ideas” ~ Collins Dictionary

What is Self-Respect?

Following are some definitions and meanings on self-respect –

• “a proper respect for oneself as a human being” ~ Merriam-Webster Dictionary,
• “a feeling of respect for yourself that shows that you value yourself” ~ Cambridge Dictionary, and
• “Self-respect is a feeling of confidence and pride in your own ability and worth.” ~ Collins Dictionary

7 Self-Respect Quotes –

There are many quotes on self-respect and following are 7 of my favourites –

• “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt 
• “Character – the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life – is the source from which self-respect springs.” ~ Joan Didion
• “The respect you show to others (or lack thereof) is an immediate reflection on your self-respect.” ~ Alex Elle 
• “If you want to improve your self-worth, stop giving other people the calculator.” ~ Tim Fargo
• “Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.” ~ Maya Angelou
• “I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself.” ~ Rita Mae Brown
• “Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.” ~ Robert Tew

Do you have a favourite quote on self-respect? If so, feel free to share below.

The Meaning of Self-Respect for You

After reading the above definitions of self-respect and the quotes about self-respect, what does self-respect mean to you?

Is it knowing you are worthy and treating yourself accordingly? Is it living a life aligned with your values? Or maybe having a strong sense of dignity toward yourself and honouring it? Feel free to share your your insights below.

Why Is Self-Respect Important?

Self-respect is important as it helps you to be on your own side of life, build self-compassion and also build respectful relationships with others. Basically standing in your own power and having confidence in yourself. The word “power” comes from the Latin word “posse”, which means “be able”.

Over to You…

I hope this post has given you some understanding on self-self-respect and why it is important. If you have any questions, please let me know below 🙂

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