Self Respect

There is an essential element in human life, without which we cannot face the world successfully. That element is self respect.


With self respect you can conquer the world. Without it, you are defeated. It should be your firm belief that you are worthy it yourself and to your community.


If you suffer feeling from inferiority, understand how this feeling has come about; why it persists in your life and take practical steps to be free from such feeling.


A person felt bad in the presence of other people. When it is analyzed it was found that as a young boy he had a humiliating experience at a party. Later he tried to forget about it. But the experience had stayed with him.


A great deal of inferiority feeling is an expression of earlier humiliation. A small girl was sure of her mother’s affection. The one ambition of her infant life was to be accepted and loved by her mother. To her surprise a brother was born. She developed the feeling that her mother loved the baby but does not love her. And so inferiority feeling troubled her.


What does a child do when, in his search for satisfaction finds himself humiliated? He turns the energies that would normally go into fulfillment employs them in his rebellion.


As he cannot find fulfillment in acceptance and love, secretly he becomes the enemy of those who seem to “trouble” him and in rebellion; he gets a kind of satisfaction.


As he cannot get his joy out of being admired, he will suffer until his heart suffers with pain. This practice becomes habit forming. You must break this pattern of life at all costs.


As a child, you felt yourself rejected and therefore felt worthless. This was your first mistake. It is this first error you must rectify.


Now, repeatedly, you must tell yourself you are wanted and loved. You must break the feeling of humiliation and revenge by understanding its origin and by giving up the habit that rooted itself in your life.


You must create a new pattern of life. You cannot do it in a day. Constantly the old pattern of worthlessness will try to assert itself again. But you must continue to try and overcome such feeling.


Tell yourself that you are as good as anyone else. Insist on happiness and fulfillment. Build a new habit of thought and experience. Develop feelings of hope, optimism and happiness. Start every day  by strengthening your determination.


Make sure what your real desires are. Do you really want happiness, affection and success? Work this out everyday morning before you start the day. Once you have the right burning desire coupled with determination, the way to freedom is in your hands.


Believe in yourself. Increase your self-respect and appreciate your value. Know you are wanted and loved. Start life afresh knowing that the satisfaction of love and acceptance are richer in reward.