Have Self Respect!

Grace and Peace!

Today’s positive thought:  Have Self Respect!  Respect is highly valued in our society. We show others respect in how we treat them when they are with us and how we speak of them when they are not. While it can be natural to show respect to someone you admire, it is not always as easy to transfer the same respect to yourself. Learn what it means to have self-respect by taking a good look at your attitude, actions and the comments you make about yourself.  Gandhi said it this way: “They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them.” And “I cannot conceive of a greater loss than the loss of one's self-respect.”.

The art of being yourself at your best is the art of unfolding your personality into the person you want to be. Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others. Romans 12:2 says “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” A renewed mind has self respect! A renewed mind does not take other men's opinions or conduct as a rule for life; it lives by the Word of God!

Hold on to Your Values; Realizing that your values and ideas have worth is important when it comes to having respect for yourself. When you believe in yourself and understand that your point of view is valuable you will be more likely to follow your convictions and lead a life of purpose. On the other hand, if you constantly worry about what others think, you will be more likely to succumb to others' ideas of what is important.  Don’t let what other people want for you put you in a box! Do what works for you.

You can Accept Compliments! The way you accept compliments is reflective of the amount of respect you have for yourself. Many people struggle accepting compliments. In an effort to not come across as arrogant or self-involved, people try to deflect compliments by making self-degrading statements. Display your value when someone compliments you by looking them in the eye and saying "thank you" without offering further explanation. For instance, if someone compliments your shoes, do not feel the need to inform them that you have had them for years. Accept the compliment, say "thank you" and move on.

Self-Care “what are you wearing today? How you carry yourself readily displays your amount of self-respect. Show you have respect for yourself through your appearance by grooming yourself and wearing flattering clothing. A person with uncombed hair and oversized sweats is not as likely to think as highly of themselves as someone who takes the time to make her hair presentable and wear clothes that fit. Keep in mind that your motivation in how you dress should be to feel good about yourself rather to impress others. If you dress for others, you will find yourself with a deflated ego the moment you encounter someone who does not appreciate your sense of style.

Your behavior; What’s coming out of your mouth? While no one should be consumed by what others think of him, a certain standard of behavior should be kept when you have respect for yourself. In other words, if you have respect for yourself, chances are that others will respect you as well. Respect yourself through your behavior by displaying self-control. People can be very crude! Avoid foul language and crude jokes and do not gossip about others.

Ephesians 5:4 says “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving”

Ephesians 4:29 says “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”.

Overcomer, we have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude! RESPECT YOURSELF!!!

Be Optimistic; Be Open Minded; Be an Over comer!!

Love Min P.