What does respect feel like?
Respect is about knowing that your feelings are just as important as everyone else’s and that you deserve to be treated well…by yourself as well as by other people. Being different is OK - you are a unique and special human being with feelings, needs and rights – there’s no one else quite like you!
If you want to know someone better, then respect between the two of you is about honesty, trust, communication and compromise.
We all have rights and responsibilities. It’s important to trust your instincts, to ask for help and to speak up for yourself.
It’s also important to respect other people. This isn’t necessarily about admiring them, liking them or expecting them to ‘earn’ it. Everyone’s entitled to their own feelings and points of view, even if we don’t know them or agree with them. People who have respect for others don’t discriminate or bully, because they understand that other people’s feelings are just as important as their own.
People who respect others will always avoid harming them, in any way, because they understand that everyone has a right to wellbeing.
How can you tell if there’s a lack of respect?
Sometimes, when there is a lack of respect in a relationship, one partner may abuse their power and inflict harm on the other person. This could be emotional, physical or sexual harm, and all of these are always unacceptable. If you feel that there is a lack of respect in your relationship, or an abuse of power, talk to someone you know that you can trust.
How can I show respect?
If you want to know someone better, then respect between the two of you is about honesty, trust, communication and compromise. This is the kind of respect that can really help any relationship work better.
- Talking together with the other person can help you understand where you’re both coming from.
- Really listening properly too (‘active’ listening, not just stopping talking once in a while!) can really help to build trust and understanding.
If you can get these right, then life will be lot easier when you come up against the more difficult times in your relationships.
Can I respect someone who is different from me?
Of course! The world is made up of so many different people, of all ages, races, beliefs and abilities, likes and dislikes, male or female, who may fancy the same, the opposite or both sexes.
Differences can be challenging because we may not like or understand why someone (or a group of people) thinks or acts as they do. But respect is not about being the same as someone else, or thinking the same... it’s about knowing that all of us have a right to have our own feelings and choices. We all have a right to be happy and safe.
Respect difference. Enjoy life...