I used to let people treat me however they wanted. And by that, I mean little things in day-to-day life. Someone took my parking spot? Guess who kept quiet. Friend yelled at me over something THEY STARTED? Yup. Laughed it off.
But over time, I realized my lack of self-respect wasn’t going unnoticed. It was slowly being diminished behind my back.
If you struggle with having people take you seriously or you constantly put others before you, READ ON. I’m about to show you how to build self-respect the RIGHT WAY in 5 practical steps.
1. Have Boundaries & Expect Others to Respect Them
It all starts by teaching people how you expect to be treated.
- Learn to say no.
- Don’t compromise your standards to please others.
- Identify any toxic people in your life and LIMIT your time with them.
Expecting others to respect your boundaries is the foundation of self-respect. Letting others treat you however they want teaches them that your time and energy mean nothing to you. Once you hold others accountable for respecting your boundaries, you’ll automatically earn the respect of others (and yourself).
Read also: 5 Effective Ways to Practice Self-Acceptance
2. Advocate for Yourself
Silencing your voice not only keeps others from hearing you, it lets everyone know your thoughts and opinions don’t matter.
- Practice speaking your mind and state your opinions confidently.
- Speak up when others disrespect you.
- Never wait for someone to give you permission to speak.
Advocating for yourself is powerful. You’re building your self-respect from the inside out by asserting yourself to the people around you.
Read also: 5 Effective Ways to Practice Self-Acceptance
3. Stop Blaming Others for Your Situation
Owning your life is the quickest way to build self-respect.
- Take responsibility for your actions, mistakes, wins, and losses.
- Focus on the things you can control.
- Build a “you aren’t a victim” mentality.
Nothing will build your self-respect quicker than letting go of the victim mentality. It doesn’t just change the way you think about yourself; it changes the way others perceive you. You’ll quickly be known as someone who can be counted on because you take responsibility for your life.
Read also: 7 Daily Self-Motivation Habits
4. Take Care of Your Own Needs
Self-respect is about valuing yourself.
- Make sure you’re taking care of your mental and physical health.
- Don’t be afraid to say no if your workload is maxed.
- Put time and attention into your hobbies and passions.
Our lives are busy enough as it is. People who respect themselves don’t feel selfish for taking time for themselves. Learning how to care for and prioritize yourself will allow you to take care of others.
5. Associate Yourself with Respectful People
The people around you can either lift you up or bring you down.
- Remove anyone from your life who makes you feel belittled or taken advantage of.
- Invest time and energy in friends who respect you.
- Notice how people talk to you and how you allow them to talk to you.
Your sense of self-worth will skyrocket when you’re surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting people. We tolerate way more from others when we have no self-respect.
Final Thoughts
Self-respect takes time. It’s something you build by learning to choose yourself first, setting boundaries with others, and truly living your life how YOU want to.
Just remember to say no once in a while, speak up when you need to, take accountability for your life, take care of yourself, and learn to weed out the bad eggs.
YOU are worth it.
SELF RESPECT FAQs
Can you lose self-respect?
Yes, but like anything, you can build it back up by taking small steps like the ones I mentioned above!
Is self-respect confidence?
Confidence is having faith in your ability to do something. Self-respect is treating yourself with dignity and worth.
How do you deal with people testing your boundaries?
Be firm and consistent. Just because someone may not like you for setting boundaries doesn’t mean you should allow them to walk all over you.
Does self-respect affect relationships?
Building self-respect will not only teach others how to respect you, but it’ll allow you to find people who RESPECT you!
Isn’t putting my needs first selfish?
No. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. You have to put yourself first every now and then to ensure you can be there for others.
Save the pin for later
