Tag: self-respect

FITNESS CAN TEACH US A LOT ABOUT LIFE 💪

If you have read any of my books or have followed this blog for any amount of time, you know that I often use fitness to describe certain aspects of personal development. That is because improving your physical body shares many of the same skill requirements as improving yourself as a person. It also serves up many of the same lessons. As we struggle on the journey we develop character. The same is true in the world of self-improvement. In both, nobody can do it for you. You can‘t pay someone to workout for you and expect the results. Just as you can’t buy that self-improvement book, or even attend that course, and expect any result if you are not willing to put in the work.

What do you get from all of this hard work? In a word – respect. Not only respect from others, but respect from yourself! Even long before you reach your fitness goals, you respect yourself and your efforts. The same is true with self-improvement. It is the act of improving ourselves that gives us self-respect. It is a lifelong journey. Everyday that we work on becoming the best versions of ourselves, whether that is physical or with our character, we earn respect for ourself. That is why we must endeavor to improve. Let us use this to keep us motivated when times are tough.

BOUNDARIES FOR THIS YEAR 🌉

This year it is important to set boundaries. It is important to set goals and resolutions to make clear what we are going after. It is just as important to set boundaries to let others know what we will not tolerate. This is not meant to be antagonist, but to teach others how they should treat you.

Setting boundaries can be difficult at first. This is especially true for people you have let trample your boundaries in the past. In the long term it will actually reduce stress in your life. Quite a bit actually! It will also improve the quality of your relationships with others. When they respect you and your boundaries, you will enjoy spending more time with them. In addition, it sets the relationship up for growth that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

Therefore, it would both serve you, and the relationship you share with this person, to make your boundaries clear and to stick by them. Remember, it may be uncomfortable in the short-term, but it will ultimately serve you long-term.

IF YOU ARE BRAVE ENOUGH ♥️

Here is an activity that is perfect for our Wednesday! Say something nice about yourself. To many of us, this feels awkward as we are told that this is not a good thing to do. We might not be told this directly, but we are warned about being self-centered or bragging. The sad part is that this often leads to a lack of self-confidence or a negative self-image. We can recognize our redeeming qualities without slipping into arrogance. There is something amazing about each of us. Acknowledging this will assist us in living an amazing life.

Think about the people in your life. When you think about all of the amazing things they bring into your life, you are motivated to treat them with the love and care they deserve. My lovely Margie, for example, always brings laughter and silliness into my life. This is such an important thing in a stressful world. For that, and a million other reasons, she is very valuable to me and I treat her as such. My mother keeps me company on walks in nature, which refresh the spirit and keep the body fit. Therefore, I value her and her company. How about you? Are there people in your life that you value for the wonderful things they bring into your life?

When you stop and appreciate the wonderful things that you bring to the world, you value and treat yourself better. When you treat yourself better, you are in a better state to treat others with kindness and compassion. This activity may feel strange at first as we are not used to complimenting ourselves. As we get used to it, we will realize what amazing souls we are. This helps us in so many ways. It helps us set boundaries with others. This can protect our physical, mental and emotional well-being. It develops self-respect. It may also help us realize our gifts and better share them with others.

I will share my answer with you, and I would love to hear yours as well. Something nice about me is that I love to share knowledge that I learn to improve life with as many others as I can. To me, the more people living an amazing life, the more amazing the world will be. Share your answer to this question in the comment below.