Look Only For The Good

Everybody has his/her share of not-so-pleasant things, and that includes ME=). If you don’t want others to rummage through your personal closet, then don’t do the same to them. The lesson is simple: always look for the best in those you mingle with. Accentuate the positive and let it grow! Here are some tips on how to increase respect for others:

• Be honest. Honesty will always be the best policy. An honest person is truly a rare breed nowadays!

• Be fair to others. The Golden Rule says it all: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you want to be treated with respect, then treat others with respect, too. In life, everything comes full circle, so whatever you do to others will eventually come back to you. Here’s the bonus: when it does come back to you, it’s going to be a lot more than you expected!

• Never, never argue. Even if you know you may be right on a certain matter, there are times when it’s better you just swallow your pride and maintain your good reputation with others. The key is to discover when to argue.

• Apologize only when truly needed. If you don’t respect yourself, you tend to over apologize. Do not apologize for making a reasonable request or order; this reinforces your lack of self-confidence.

• Keep your principles intact. If you choose to avoid smoking/drinking, don’t let anyone bully you into breaking your resolve. Even if friends say, “just one shot” or “break it for a moment,” in the end, it’s you who will feel the pain and the guilt. A commitment to your values-consistently doing what you believe in – is a good way to raise your self-respect. The principles we uphold are based on what we value, what is important to us, our priorities.

• Accept responsibility for actions. Respect begets respect. If you make a blunder that causes damage to other people, be brave enough to take responsibility for it.

• Never speak ill of others, especially when they are not around. Avoid gossiping. If you don’t have anything good to say, keep your mouth shut!

• Tolerance: the epitome of respect. Tolerance is usually defined as the capacity to recognize and respect others’ beliefs or practices. Tolerance is also a social, cultural and religious term applied to the collective and individual practice of not discriminating or persecuting those who may have different sets of beliefs.

How tolerant are you? Tolerance involves acceptance and respect. When you are tolerant, you recognize that the world is made up of differences, and these differences are what make our world so interesting. When we respect others for the way they live their lives, we are telling them to respect us, too.