Each one of us want respect in our lives. Nobody loves to get humiliated. When others criticise us or speak behind our back, and if we get affected or react to them in any way, it would mean that our self-esteem is very fragile.
This stems from the temporary foundation on which our self-esteem is based and built. We base our self-esteem is based and built. We base our self-esteem on the opinions of others. But what we forget is that each one would have a different opinion of us and we can never really know what others are thinking, because we are not in their minds.
Even if we do know what others are thinking, aren’t they entitled to their own opinion? Why should we allow their opinion to shake our self-esteem and lose our inner stability?
So, don’t worry about what anyone thinks of you. Once you know who you are and know your true self, you need not depend on the opinion of others. Self-esteem and self-respect are intimately linked. One is not possible without the other. All of us have been taught how to show respect to others, but are we taught how to respect ourselves? Not really. Because of this our relationships, lack harmony and our lives are filled with both inner and outer conflicts. Lack of self-respect has brought about disharmony and negative in our life. Hence, if we can maintain self-respect, we would be able to re-maintain stable and positive. There would then be no ‘tit for tat’ attitude in our lives, no misunderstandings and disharmony. The only way to build and strengthen self-respect is to practice giving respect to others, regardless of what they are like or what they are doing.
This is because when we are giving respect to a person, we also create an image of them in our mind. And because for that moment they exist in our mind, we are giving respect to them, but creating it first in our minds.
Editor’s note: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji is a writer at www.brahmakumaris.com and can be reached at nikunjji@brahmakumaris.in.
