While many people don’t realize it, self-respect is something very easy to lose. People with self-respect just actually like themselves and are able to maintain their thoughts on themselves whether they are succeeding in life or failing.

A lot of the time people confuse self-respect with self-esteem but the two are very different things. Sure, we all on some level have respect for ourselves but building a proper sense of self-respect is important. When the world gets you down, you need to be able to maintain this kind of thing.

Below I am going to go over some of the things that a lot of people end up doing once they’ve found their sense of self-respect. While some of them will come a lot easier than the others, they will all be important. How many do you recall having experienced?

20 Things You Will Begin Doing Once You’ve Found Your Sense Of Self-Respect:

1. You become more honest about who you are and who you are not.

When you have self-respect you know who you are and who you are not. You stop lying to yourself and to other people. You accept yourself for who you are and no longer try to put on a fake face. While this might not seem like much it is a big step in the right direction.

2. You stop trying so hard to fit in or be ‘normal.’

When you have self-respect you begin to really see that fitting in is not important. You no longer want to be normal or to go with the status quo. You see that there is nothing wrong with thinking outside of the box and just being who you truly are.

3. You begin seeing how worthy you are of real love.

When you have self-respect you begin to see how worthy you are of love, happiness, and everything else. You realize that toxic love and friendships are not something you want any part in. You see that you deserve better and you will not accept the ‘fake’ kinds of love anymore.

4. You start saying ‘no.’

When you have self-respect you learn how easy it is to say no. You stop being willing to do things that you really don’t want to do. You allow yourself the room to finally make your own decisions.

5. You stop obsessing over material objects.

When you have self-respect you do not obsess over material items. ‘Things’ don’t matter as much to you anymore. You realize that when you pass on you cannot take them with you and you begin shifting towards a different direction.

6. You stop letting other people define your boundaries.

When you have self-respect you stop letting people in your life walk all over you. You make your boundaries and you do not let others cross them. Where the line is drawn is where they stop, otherwise, they get cut out of your life right then and there. You no longer make exceptions for people who constantly waste your time.

7. You begin accepting your own feelings/emotions.

When you have self-respect you begin accepting your truest emotions. You don’t keep locking them away inside of yourself. You allow yourself to feel them and put them forth when they need to be acknowledged.

8. You start working towards living the life you want to live.

When you have self-respect you begin to work towards living the life you want. You get things done and have fun. You make changes and work towards your goals. Everything is as it should be and you are well on your way to achieving your dreams.

9. You stop obsessing over your past.

When you have self-respect you stop letting your past define you. Instead of obsessing over it you let it go. You know that you cannot change it and so it is not as important as you once thought it was.

10. You quit caring what other people want or think.

When you have self-respect the things others want, say, or think do not matter. You know now that your opinion is the only one that matters in your life. At the end of the day, you are all you truly have.

11. You cut toxic people out of your life.

When you have self-respect you stop letting toxic people have a place in your life. You cut them out and no longer give them the power that they crave. They are not able to win you over anymore and you hold your own.

12. You do not give power to negative thoughts.

When you have self-respect you do not give power to negative thoughts. You release the negative ones and hold onto the positive ones. You no longer harbor any negative energies within your being.

13. Your opinions begin to change.

When you have self-respect your opinions begin to change. You begin to be a more positive person and you see things in a way that you would not have before. The way you think and so forth shifts in a new direction.

14. You start taking time for yourself.

When you have self-respect you begin to take time for yourself to relax. When you’re stressed and frustrated you give yourself a moment to yourself. You know how important it is to take a break when you need one and before that is not something you would even consider.

15. You forgive the people who have hurt you.

When you have self-respect you begin to finally forgive yourself and other people. You stop holding grudges and letting people pull you down. If they are no longer in your life there is no sense in letting them remain on your mind.

16. You begin to speak more positively.

When you have self-respect you begin to speak in a more positive manner. You talk yourself up instead of down and are always boosting yourself up. This kind of thing is something many people struggle with so the fact that you’ve got it under wraps is amazing.

17. You stop settling in life.

When you have self-respect you no longer settle in life. You stop letting people walk all over you and you stop accepting the things that come before you. You push for more and always work as hard as you can. You want more out of life.

18. You stop comparing yourself to others.

When you have self-respect you do not compare yourself to other people. You know that you are not those people and that those people have their own flaws. While you might not be able to see the things that make them imperfect, they have their own insecurities just like you do. No one is perfect.

19. You put your own needs first.

When you have self-respect you begin to put your own needs first. You stop letting other people’s needs come before your own. While you do still care about the people around you, you realize that if you do not take care of yourself you cannot take care of anyone else. This is something most people struggle to realize.

20. You realize how important your own happiness is.

When you have self-respect you begin to see how important it is for you to be happy. While in the past you might have accepted negative emotions without a second thought, now you are willing to go out of your way to change them. You make sure that you have a positive outlook on most things.

Image via RWC News