Self-respect is about having genuine confidence to stand up for yourself when you are being treated in a manner that is less that what you deserve.
t is about knowing your worth and being the kind of person you are proud of.
Once you start recognising your sense of self, you start expecting a certain level of respect from others. Question is, what is that thing that makes us recognise self-respect?
Most people say it’s wealth but I say that wealth only contributes 20% to a human.
Self-respect can be an attitude one is born with, something that is instilled at a young age, and something that can be influenced and experienced. All of these things play a role.
However, I believe instillation of behaviour and beliefs by parents or guardians has the biggest impact as it is done from a young age.
Close interactions with our parents form an important vessel for our growth because through these interactions, we learn about being loved and believed in. We learn about what is right and wrong, who we are and who we will be.
To be exact, this is where self-respect is established. This a where a confident child is recognised by others. This is the line that distinguishes us all.
Unfortunately, this is also where we find parents/guardians have no idea how to raise a respectful individual who respects themselves because they also lack character.
An orphaned toddler with no parents who misses out on these interactions is also found here. In most cases, a child listens to the person they always count on. If that fails, so does the growth of their self-respect/confidence.
It’s a pity because now an adult with no self-respect/confidence only learns about it from experiences and influences.
To conclude, life really hits us all and a total love and acceptance for ourselves without comparisons to others is core because self-respect will fall right into place.
Suama Esperanca Tjiwemu has a masters in human resources management, majoring in industrial
psychology at the University of Sunderland.
Email her at semtjiwemu@gmail.com.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
