Many people worldwide know the word respect, but the fundamental question is whether people understand the meaning of this powerful term. It is imperative to know what respect entails, how people violate it, and to what extent it can affect or influence any relationship. Respect can be defined in more than one way; it can be an act of admiration and love for another person. That is before you can respect others, you need to respect yourself. Respect entails self-respect, respect for others, and respect for other people’s property. Respect is a fundamental component that guarantees healthy interpersonal relationships and exceptional personal identity.
Self-respect helps individuals build an exceptional personal identity and allow them to respect others. You cannot think positively others if you do not have optimistic thoughts about yourself. In general, people who respect themselves treat others the way they want to be treated. A person who loves and values themselves for who they are is self-respecting. They understand their unique character traits and make decisions in life based on that genuine or original aspect of their personality (Gepp et al., 2022). Therefore, you should have self-respect for you to be able to respect others.
Self-respect is crucial because it allows people to live a life of authenticity and personal integrity despite what others think of them. When you focus on pleasing others, you are not motivated to live your own lives. However, when you have self-respect, you are more likely to live a true life, and that is satisfying. When you have self-respect, you say no to things you do not want to do. Such action creates more time and energy for you to engage with activities and people who make you happy (Gepp et al., 2022). It is essential to note that saying no does not make you a bad person; rather, it makes you strong and respectable because others know that you can stand up to your principles. Indeed, individuals with self-respect have the highest level of personal integrity and are true to themselves. Additionally, they can see their strengths and weaknesses and consider the latter as something they can improve on rather than a permanent sign of failure.
Self-respect is the foundation of respecting other people surrounding you. People live with individuals with conflicting opinions, viewpoints, and understandings, and only respect can facilitate harmonious life. It is fundamental to human nature to want to be heard and listened to. (Gepp et al., 2022) indicates that when you listen to what other people say, you show them respect at the basic level. When you give your friends and relatives listening time, you acknowledge them as valuable (Abinaya, n.d.). Most humans interpret this aspect as the conveyance of respect and reciprocate accordingly. You can show respect for others in different ways, such as offering support, especially to friends and loved ones, and letting individuals know that their presence is essential and valuable. Equally, taking time to notice something positive about people and letting them know about it is an act of showing you respect them. Such a move allows them to realize they actually matter and positively impact other people. Therefore, you should have self-respect is the basic element that facilitates respect for others.
Respect for others allows people to know that you understand them and promotes learning something new. When you are in the middle of a conflict, it can be easy to defend your own opinion. However, it is essential to invoke your curiosity instead and use the situation as a learning opportunity. Find out why the other person has an opposing perspective. They might have a valid point, and even if you do not agree with them, you can still understand the other individual (Gepp et al., 2022). You can understand how their experiences might have shaped their viewpoint, behavior, and feelings in such a situation. At times, you might not share the same perspective as someone else, but you can respect their right to have a different point of view. People come from different backgrounds, which means that two individuals from the same town are likely to have varying perspectives since they grew up in dissimilar families (Manstead, 2018). Past experiences and the environment have a critical role in shaping people and their perceptions. Therefore, respecting and appreciating other people’s points of view is honoring their background and life story.
Respect for others helps you extend kindness to people surrounding you. The act of being kind does not always require service. When you are kind to others, you are giving something to them. Your good deeds reflect your character, which can inspire others to be kind (Abinaya, n.d.). When you show kindness to others, we are giving them a gift that they can use. This act is simply an expression of our respect for them. You can show kindness to those in need, making them feel valued and respected. Respect for others also allows you to be polite, making individuals feel appreciated. Therefore, respect for others cultivates and promotes kindness and politeness, which are essential elements for maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships.
Respect for others helps you to keep promises you made to friends and relatives. It is crucial to be a person of your word as it illustrates to the other person that they are worth the effort. Conversely, if you break promises, it creates a perception in other people that you do not have any element of respect for them and they do not matter enough for you to fulfill the promise. Respect for others also allows you to apologize when you do something hurting people surrounding you easily (Abinaya, n.d.). You admit when you have made a mistake instead of trying to cover it up, indicating empathy, care, and recognition and triggering other people to respect you. An apology is an honest act that requires humility and showing that the person who was wronged is important. Thus, respect for others allows you to live harmoniously with all people.
Self-respect and respect for others lead to respect for property. People own people’s properties, and they have the right to decide who can use them. Conversely, it is challenging to have everything you need in life, necessitating the need to use other individuals’ properties. Respect for property means that you should not use what is not yours without the owners’ permission. When someone takes or uses somebody else’s property without requesting, it portrays the highest level of disrespect. It is important to note that if people need to use something that does not belong to them; they must first get the owners’ approval. Gaining access to someone’s property without permission can invade privacy, potentially leading to conflicts between involved parties. Therefore, you should embrace and nurture respect in all aspects of life. It is an instrumental tool that ensures harmonious living among all individuals regardless of social and economic status or ethnic affiliations.
References
Abinaya. (n.d). What is the Importance of Respect for Others? Open Education Portal.
Gepp, K., Casabianca, S., & Vogel, K. (2022). Self-Respect: What It Is, How to Achieve It, and Why It’s Important. Psych Central.
Manstead, A. (2018). The psychology of social class: how socioeconomic status impacts thought, feelings, and behaviour.British Journal of Social Psychology, 57(2), 267-291.