Do you appreciate your friends? Sure you do. How often have you taken a friend out to dinner, bought them a birthday present, done them a favor, or otherwise gone out of your way to show appreciation for them?
It happens all the time. Now ask yourself the same question.
How often have you taken yourself out to dinner, bought yourself a birthday present, done yourself a favor, or otherwise gone out of your way to display appreciation for yourself?
You respect your friends, and you appreciate having them in your life. Do you regularly go out of your way to tell yourself that you also respect who you are and what you stand for? Do you respect yourself enough to feel good about making an effort even if you fail instead of focusing on just the failure itself?
You'll encounter happiness that has nothing to do with your effort. You hear a funny joke and laugh. Watching the incredible joy children experience while playing makes you feel good. A friend surprises you with your favorite dessert, and it tastes amazing.
These episodes of happiness were delivered by influences, situations, or events that exist outside of you. True, long-lasting happiness begins inside, with self-respect.
Self-Respect First Means Self-Acceptance
Respect comes from a place of acknowledgment. Someone has been through a lot or accomplished something in a big way. You respect that. The same is true with self-respect. You realize you've been through a lot in your life and are still here. You are a survivor. Or you accomplished something that was difficult and that earned your respect.
This whole process doesn't start until you accept who you are.
You must be honest about your ups and downs, strengths and weaknesses, failures and successes. Accepting the wonderfully unique life that is yours means you understand you're not perfect, but you accept that.
This is incredibly powerful. It says that you're happy with who you are. Regardless of your set of circumstances, your bank balance, or other things that society judges you buy, you're good with who you are. That is a very respectful way to look at yourself.
Acceptance and respect lead to contentment. You are content and happy with whatever your life is because it's yours. Work towards this mindset. It frees you from believing that happiness can be purchased or created by giving in to societal pressures. It leads to the realization that happiness is inside you. It's ready for you whenever you want to accept it.
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