18 Questions to Determine Your Amount of Self-Respect

Are you respecting you? Do you expect others to treat you better than you treat yourself?

Take full account of the excellencies which you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.
—Marcus Aurelius

Many times when we think of gratitude, we think about appreciating the things that surround us, without taking the time to truly appreciate ourselves. But if we learn how to cherish ourselves, we will actually feel gratitude toward others.

In order to really appreciate who you are, you need to treat yourself with self-respect. After all, if you do not respect yourself and your body, you cannot expect anyone else to respect you. Being grateful for who you are requires you to treat yourself with self-compassion.

Below you will find 18 questions taken from my book, The Snowball Effect: How to Build Positive Momentum in Your Life, that will increase your awareness as you inventory how well you treat you. Ask yourself …

• Do I treat myself well physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially?
• Do I eat healthy foods and get enough rest?
• Am I exercising?
• Can I accept my physical appearance?
• Do I have the courage to leave an abusive relationship?
• Do I spend time with people who are loving and compassionate?
• Can I stop myself from becoming verbally or physically abusive to others?
• Can I view mistakes as opportunities to grow?
• Do I get regular checkups at the dentist’s and the doctor’s offices?
• Do I appreciate my abilities?
• Do I consider my own spiritual needs?
• Do I know that it is okay to make a mistake?
• Can I accept that I will never be perfect?
• Do I hang around emotionally healthy people?
• Do I allow myself to have flaws and still know that I am worthy and lovable?
• Do I take time to have fun?
• Can I name things that I like about myself?
• Am I capable of having healthy relationships with others?

If you answered no to several of these questions, I want you to know that you are not being kind enough to yourself. Your self-worth begins with you. You can change the way you perceive yourself. You really do create your own reality. Others will better respect you when you respect yourself. Other people don’t define your value as a person. You do have worth! Your only problem may be that you don’t recognize it.

It is time to wake up and experience the excellence in you that has been there all along!

If deep feelings of shame get in your way and cause you to self-sabotage, you may really benefit from professional counseling to gain a new perspective. Maybe you have beaten yourself up long enough.

To learn how to respect yourself, let go of resentment, and live a more positive life, check out my book, The Snowball Effect: How to Build Positive Momentum in Your Life. Now available in softcover and kindle edition. Check out kindle edition for only $3.03. Click here to find out more about kindle edition. Click here to check out the book in softcover. It really is about building a more positive life. It begins with you!

This post was written by Kristin Barton Cuthriell, MEd, MSW, LCSW. Kristin is a licensed psychotherapist who works with children, adolescents, and adults. She treats people suffering from depression, anxiety, and relationship problems.

 

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