Respect

**Is it essential to respect ourselves?

Self-respect is an essential aspect of living a fulfilling life. It is the foundation of self-confidence and self-worth. It is crucial for achieving success and happiness. When we have self-respect, we value ourselves, our abilities, and our morals, and we are less likely to allow others to mistreat us. We also tend to make better decisions and choose healthier relationships because we know our worth. Without self-respect, we may allow others to disrespect us, and we may engage in self-destructive behaviors. Most importantly, we owe it to the people dearest to our hearts. It is nearly impossible to respect someone if we don't respect ourselves first.

**How to respect ourselves

Respect for oneself has many levels, from making our beds in the morning to exercising regularly. Depending on the day or the current mood we find ourselves in, making our beds in the morning, even when we are tired, can seem as daunting as running a marathon. Completing this simple task in the morning before we go out for the day gives us a win before our day begins. Any win, enormous or minuscule, is crucial for self-esteem and self-appreciation. In addition to completing everyday tasks, overcoming and creating challenges for ourselves is as necessary as filling our vehicles with fuel. The challenges we place in our lives will not harm us but rather make us stronger, and the challenges we face must be taken head-on with confidence.

Speaking our minds can be terrifying, especially when pushing back against a norm. We owe it to ourselves and society to voice our opinions respectfully and gracefully, no matter how difficult it may seem. We never know if the light we shine on a topic may be the light someone else needs to see clearly but most importantly, we give ourselves the respect we deserve by saying anything.

Taking time for our mental health helps to create better opportunities for excellent decision-making and logical thought. Meditation is an incredible avenue to achieve internal peace and stability and should be one of the many 'challenges' we seek out every day.

Exercising every day is by far the most essential ingredient in respecting ourselves. Just 30 minutes a day of walking, lifting weights, swimming, or even yoga will transform our bodies physically and drastically improve the functionality of our minds. Exercise eliminates self-doubt and exacerbates feelings of worth. The reward will outstandingly supersede the effort put forth.

**Why we should respect ourselves

We only have one life on this earth. Some of us only get a few years, some over 100 years, and some will die today. It is imperative to respect ourselves so we can enjoy life to its most joyous and maximum potential. If we hold ourselves to the highest of standards, we naturally make decisions we will never regret and that we are proud of. Arguably, the most important decision is who we allow in our lives. When we take all the right turns and create the proper challenges, we set ourselves up for success. Not only will we attract compatible friends and lovers, we will be able to keep them around for the long run. A strong family bond and good-intentioned friends ground us and simultaneously enable us to fly.

We can be an example for those around us. We can be the reason someone starts to speak their mind. We can be the reason someone begins exercising. We can be the prime motivator for someone taking charge in their life and setting challenges to better themselves and positively affect those around them. We should respect ourselves because the inevitable chain reaction will infect the lives of anyone fortunate enough to witness it.

* I hope this lifts you up today. It may take work, but the reward makes this life worth living, right?