Learn to Maintain Self Respect: If You Don’t Respect Yourself, Why Should Anyone Else?

While growing up, everyone repeatedly told you to respect others. And because of this, you may have became obsessed with pleasing everyone else, putting yourself last. Hence it is important to learn to Maintain Self Respect: If You Don’t Respect Yourself, Why Should Anyone Else?

If you truly want to respect yourself, then you have to accept yourself, and work on becoming the person you always dreamed of becoming. Take steps to maintain self respect,to know how to feel happy with whom you are and make the world treat you as you deserve to be treated as a respected personality.

Respect starts from within, so if you wish to be respected, you have to do what it takes to respect yourself — that is, living in a way that demonstrates self-respect. Would you speak to a respected friend the way you speak to yourself? Your treatment of yourself sets the standards for how others will treat you.If you have no self-respect you can't respect others, because what value would you offer someone by giving the respect of o“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself.” (Mark Twain)

If you want self-respect, don't stagnate. Seek out meaning and passion in your life. Look for opportunities for growth and positive change, even if you feel scared. Jump into the river of life and keep moving. You'll find self-respect comes naturally if you do.

Why Self Respect is Important

On the other hand, Self Respect is a positive emotion. It is all about honoring yourself and honoring what you stand for. It makes you independent and it comes only when you follow the path of discipline. Self Respect makes you respect your boundaries; it helps you define and honor your own opinion as distinct from others. It makes you respect the choices you make in your life and above all, it gives you independence of thoughtRespecting Your Mind, Body, and Spirit. Don’t look in a mirror and say, “I’m not attractive” or “I’m so stupid.” That’s not what matters. Don’t you think your loved ones love you unconditionally? Of course! They love you because of what’s inside of you. They respect you for who you really are and you can learn to respect yourself too.

Respect your body because it is the home of your mind and spirit, then harness that spirit and love it because it is who you are.Loving your body, mind, and spirit is the key to gaining self-respect. It is then that you can extend yourself out to meet the needs of others.

Look After Your Appearance, Without Being a Slave to Fashion. Our appearance is important. It can give us confidence or it can make us feel awkward. Take care of our appearance; dressing smart for the right occasion gives us self confidence. At the same time, we don’t want to be the slave of fashion trends. Dress for your own benefit; don’t dress in the expectation of pleasing others and receiving compliments.

Learn to Handle Criticism.We are sensitive beings. Nobody likes criticism and when we are criticized, either directly or indirectly, we feel bad about yourself – even if the criticism is not justified. To maintain a sense of self respect, we need to learn how to deal with criticism. Don’t take criticism personally.

Look at it from a detached perspective. Maybe it is false, in which case we should ignore it. If their is some truth, we can use it to develop our character. However, it is important not to take criticism too personally. Just because we are not very good at a particular task, doesn’t mean we need to lose our self respect.

Spend time with respectful people.We tend to attract people in our lives who reflect our state of mind. If you're lacking in self-respect, you might be reinforcing your feelings by surrounding yourself with people who don't respect you. Begin to create boundaries for yourself that show others you have self-respect. Release people from your life who don't honor your boundaries. Actively seek out people who treat you the way you want to be treated.

Believe in your choices. If you want to respect yourself, then you have to believe in the decisions you've made. You have to be firm in your beliefs and make an effort to understand yourself and to know what will really make you happy. Give yourself the reward of a decision well-made and stick to it, no matter how difficult it may be.

It's okay to ask other people for advice, and this can actually help you gain a more balanced perspective, but you shouldn't spend your time doubting yourself, thinking that what you've done is all wrong, and wishing that you had done something else.

Work on building your confidence. Achieving self-respect is difficult if you're not happy with who you are, how you look, or what you're doing. Building true confidence takes a lot of work, but doing a few simple things every day can start you on your way.

·  Start by maintaining positive body language and good posture, smiling more, and thinking at least three good thoughts about you each hour.If someone compliments you, accept their statement by saying, “Thank you.”

Maintain a positive attitude. A positive attitude can make or break your success in life, as well as your thoughts about who you are. Even if things aren't going your way, be confident about the fact that something good is bound to happen eventually. Be pleased with your everyday life and all that it can offer you. If you feel overly negative about everything and only imagine the worst in every situation, then you're bound to never feel good about who you are or to give yourself the respect you deserve.

Stop trying to keep up with everyone. One of the reasons you may be lacking self-respect is because you feel bad that you're single while all of your friends are engaged, or that you feel inadequate that you don't make as much money as other people you know. Maintain your own standards and work on achieving the goals you want to achieve.

Don’t waste your time doing what you think will impress your Facebook friends or give you bragging rights. It's much more impressive to succeed at doing what you want to do instead of following the path that everyone else has taken.

Respect Others. If you have no respect for others, how can you have self-respect? Self respect means we have an inner confidence and inner assurance, but this is not a confidence built on superiority. It is the wrong approach to try and feel better by putting others down. If we look for the good qualities in other people, it is easier to remember the good qualities in ourselves.

Maintain your environment. If you can’t take care of your home, your table or car, you can’t take care of yourself. Clean up, declutter and surround yourself with beautiful things that are a reflection of your beauty and character.

Show your hobbies.Stop hiding your hobbies. Openly share your passions. There are plenty of people who will be interested in the real you.

People will value you less when they realize you’re spineless and easily manipulated. Understand your limits and learn to say no.

Self respect comes when we value our attitude to life and other people. Even if things go badly don’t lose your self respect. Work with the best of intentions and gain your self respect from that.

Hence from above lines it is clear importance of Self respect, so learn to Maintain Self Respect:If You Don’t Respect Yourself, Why Should Anyone Else? If you don’t have respect for yourself, you won’t get it anywhere else.Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. Abraham Joshua Heschel

Management Tips –Secret of Body language in your success at Work place

Have you ever realized, that key to great success of your profession is secret in body language at Work Place. You are a responsible employee. You regularly go to your work place five days a week, complete every assignment by overly exceeding your boss’s expectations, and always arrive before your office time. Only because you have some of these qualifications, doesn’t exactly mean that your boss is going to call you into his/her office to give you a well-deserved raise.

A person’s confidence and ability to perform a job clearly reflects on the display of body language and how he composes himself. Positive body language and confidence are interconnected

A positive body language highly influences people we interact with. A facial expression that carries a smile and releases positive signs creates a healthy environment for both the parties in conversation.

No matter how hard you work at your workplace, unprofessional body language can send much of your hard work out the window.In fact, in face-to-face communication, research shows that your words account for only 7% percent of your interaction — 38% is in your tone of voice, and 55% is in your nonverbal cues, or body language.

Management Tips:Secret of Body Language

No matter how hard you work at your workplace, unprofessional body language can send much of your hard work out the window.In fact, in face-to-face communication, research shows that your words account for only 7% percent of your interaction — 38% is in your tone of voice, and 55% is in your nonverbal cues, or body language.

Not sure which body language mistakes you’re making? Here are a dozen tips for using body language to project confidence, credibility, and your personal brand of charisma: These effective body language may lead to your professional success.

1-Positive Eye Contact is key to Sucess.

Eye contact is essential to effective communication.It shows respect and interest. Maintaining eye contact makes you trustworthy, likeable, and powerful. When you're in a conversation, be careful to also pay attention to what is being said.

One may reduce their gaze if they don’t feel confident in what they’re speaking about or prefer to not engage in embarrassing conversations. But if you want to increase your chances of having better conversations with people at work, look them in the eyes when you or they are speaking because it produces a deeper connection between the both of you.However, be careful not to do  things with your eyes that disconnect, like rolling your eyes, or looking away.

2-Smile and Win the Word

Smiling is one of the easiest ways to convey confidence. Show your engagement and put everyone at ease. First impressions matters, it is extremely important because it creates the granite foundation for the way in which people perceive us.When you walk into a room or a meeting, say hello (even if just with a smile or a nod).  Don't skip this step even if you are entering late!

 3-A Warm Handshake is your attitude

Since touch is the most powerful and primitive nonverbal nod. The right handshake can give you instant credibility and the wrong one can cost you the job or the contract. Handshakes in original strike is a balance between a forceful grip and finalization of the projects when it comes to the business works.

Strong and firm handshakes tells about a person’s personality, business styles and the various negotiating techniques.Loose handshakes show uncertainty and lack of interest in the proposal by the person.

Handshake should be firm and steady and should only last between two and five seconds,and don't forget to engage in eye contact and have good posture.If you're meeting someone for the first time,be sure to repeat the name so you don't forget it.

4-Hiding Your Hands

Don't sit on your hands or hide them in your lap. Place them on the arms of your chair or the desk or use them to gesture. Gesturing makes you look more expressive, and the interviewer can read how open and honest you are by looking at your hands.

Hiding your hands when you're engaging in a conversation can be perceived as being not trustworthy. Plus, according to a study, people are more inclined to listen to you if you use your hands when you speak.you should have your palms open and facing up to be viewed as trustworthy and open.

We tend to hide our hands when we are nervous; keeping your hands out in the open indicates confidence and shows people you have nothing to hide. Also, recognize that putting your hands in your pockets encourages slouching, which isn’t good. As an alternative, try putting your hands on your hips; it’s a far more confident posture

5-Crossing Your Arms, Legs, or Feet

While criss-cross applesauce used to be the cool-kid thing to do in elementary school. Crossing your arms, legs or feet may feel comfortable while you’re trying to pump out a million emails or listen to your boss speak during a meeting, however, this nonverbal behavior could give off negative signals to others around you.

For instance, others may not engage with you because they think you’re being defensive, stubborn, or distant, and no one wants to play that game.However, do cross your arms if you’re alone in your cubicle, working on a tough assignment. 

6-Invading Personal Space

Whether you’re super friendly with your colleague or not, it’s best to keep a healthy distance between you and your work friends — and your boss — when you communicate about a professional topic. 

If not, you can make the other person feel uncomfortable and even threatened by your presence. The best rule to follow? Three to eight feet is the perfect amount of distance to have between you and your colleagues.

7-Looking Bored

Staring at the clock? Aimlessly doodling on a pad of paper? Sighing at your desk? All of these things could show your boss that you're bored at work — even when you don’t think they’re noticing.

Try to be mindful of your body language — especially since nonverbal behavior accounts for 55% of the messages you communicate. Go for a walk if you feel bored or ask your colleagues if they need help with anything. The more proactive you are at work, the better you may feel

8-Leaning on Walls or Furniture

Remember to stand up straight - it'll help people know that you are alert and confident.  Keep your feet about shoulder-length apart and engage your core. 

9-Eyeing the Clock

Be careful not to sneak too many glances at your watch, especially if you are in a conversation with a colleague.  Watching the clock implies impatience and can be considered disrespectful.

10-Facing Away from the Conversation

If your body isn't facing the conversation, you run the risk of seeming disengaged (or even rude). Take a moment and square your shoulders and torso towards the group.  If you're sitting down, turn the chair to face the action.

 

11-Using Your Phone

Using your phone at work, especially during a meeting, shows a lack of respect to the person who’s talking. Ideally, try to keep the relationship with your phone at a minimum and if you do need to use it in front of your colleague, say excuse me before you text away. Trust us — mom would be proud.

12-Stand tall and take up space. 

Power, status, and confidence are non verbally displayed through the use of height and space. Keeping your posture erect, your shoulders back, and your head held high makes you look sure of yourself.

If you stand you will look more powerful and assured to those who are seated. If you move around, the additional space you take up adds to that impression. If you are sitting, you can look more confident by putting both feet flat on the floor, widening your arms away from your body (or hooking one elbow on the back of your chair), and spreading out your belongings on the conference table to claim more territory.

13-Lower your vocal pitch

In the workplace, the quality of your voice can be a deciding factor in how you are perceived. Speakers with higher-pitched voices are judged to be less empathic, less powerful and more nervous than speakers with lower pitched voices. One easy technique I learned from a speech therapist was to put your lips together and say “Um hum, um hum, um hum.” Doing so relaxes your voice into its optimal pitch. This is especially helpful before you get on an important phone call – where the sound of your voice is so critical.

14-Shows that you are focused and

 interested 

A speaker in a conversation would like to know if people are listening. Usage of non-verbal signals like nodding, maintaining eye contact and facing the speaker are clear signs of active listening and show the speaker that you are engaged in the conversation.

15-Quit Fidgeting!

Experts agree that playing with your hair, biting your nails, and playing with your jewelry shows you are embarrassed about your appearance or nervous about the interaction.

So, stop! No one is going to notice your appearance unless you point it out through your non verbals, so let it go.Cracking your knuckles, playing with your hair, biting your nails and lip all fall under the examples of a nervous gesture.Displaying these nervous habits in front of your boss or colleagues may lessen your credibility and make others believe you’re anxious or incompetent

So from above write up the importance and secrets of body language is clear. Body language speaks louder than words and sometimes we can communicate things even without the aid of a single word. We use it all the time in our social life and business life so it is all about gestures movements and expressions made by people to deliver a specific message to other people.

Great public speakers and presenters are ones who have mastered the art of gestural communication through which they make their presentations memorable and inspiring.

Thanks for reading—Author of this Blog is Sheeba Siddiqui an HR Expert—Photo and some contest are taken from different sources available on Net with thanks.