In a world that constantly barrages us with demands, expectations, and judgments, it's easy to lose sight of our own worth. The journey towards self-love and self-respect is a life-long endeavor, with a myriad of potential pitfalls and challenges. Yet, it's through understanding and valuing ourselves that we ultimately unlock the full spectrum of our potential. Welcome to “Empowerment in Self-Love: 50 Inspirational Quotes on Respecting Yourself”. This collection is a testament to the power of cultivating self-respect, offering wisdom, inspiration, and perhaps even the courage you need to take that next step towards self-love.
Take, for example, the journey of Oprah Winfrey. She rose from a life of poverty and adversity to become one of the most influential women in the world, all while constantly battling society's prejudices and expectations. Her secret? It was the respect she held for herself that kept her going. In her own words, “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change their future by merely changing their attitude.” Oprah understood the value of self-respect and her journey epitomizes the transformational power of self-love and self-respect. So, as you delve into these quotes about respecting yourself, think about your own journey and the power that self-respect holds in shaping your destiny.
Learning Self-Respect
1. “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.” – Abraham J. Heschel
2. “Never violate the sacredness of your individual self-respect.” – Theodore Parker
3. “Character — the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life — is the source from which self-respect springs.” – Joan Didion
4. “Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others.” – Parker Palmer
5. “When you say ‘Yes' to others, make sure you are not saying ‘No' to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho
6. “Self-respect is not a function of size, age, or wealth. Breathe deep, sing loud and sweet, ‘I am me, I am unique, I am magnificent.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie
7. “If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
8. “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” – Charlotte Brontë
9. “Self-respect knows no considerations.” – Mahatma Gandhi
10. “You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn't worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay
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Building Self-Respect
- “To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves – there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.” – Joan Didion
- “I must respect the opinions of others even if I disagree with them.” – Herbert H. Lehman
- “Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power.” – Clint Eastwood
- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Your problem is you're… too busy holding onto your unworthiness.” – Ram Dass
- “You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
- “Our self-respect tracks our choices. Every time we act in harmony with our authentic self and our heart, we earn our respect. It is that simple. Every choice matters.” – Dan Coppersmith
- “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Nurturing Self-Respect
- “Self-respect is the cornerstone of all virtue.” – John Herschell
- “I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself.” – Rita Mae Brown
- “We can't be so desperate for love that we forget where we can always find it; within.” – Alexandra Elle
- “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.” – Harvey Fierstein
- “You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.” – Yogi Bhajan
- “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
- “Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” – Malcolm S. Forbes
- “Your value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth.” – Anonymous
- “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” – Jack Kornfield
- “When we treat ourselves kindly, we have more to give to the world.” – Sharon Salzberg
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Deepening Self-Respect
- “Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them.” – Aristotle
- “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” – Michel de Montaigne
- “Respect yourself and others will respect you.” – Confucius
- “You have to love yourself because no amount of love from others is sufficient to fill the yearning that your soul requires from you.” – Dodinsky
- “The opinion which other people have of you is their problem, not yours.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
- “Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your handbrake on.” – Maxwell Maltz
- “You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” – Diane von Furstenberg
- “Why should we worry about what others think of us, do we have more confidence in their opinions than we do our own?” – Brigham Young
- “Self-respect permeates every aspect of your life.” – Joe Clark
- “Respect yourself if you would have others respect you.” – Baltasar Gracian
Cherishing Self-Respect
- “One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.” – Michael J. Fox
- “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
- “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
- “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen
- “The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own.” – Bob Moawad
- “Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” – E.E. Cummings
- “Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” – Robert Holden
- “Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.” – Veronica A. Shoffstall
- “It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.” – Sally Field
- “Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” – Rumi
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