Mar 14 2009
Self Respect vs Self Esteem
Many people confuse self esteem and self respect. Often when they are argueing the merits of a self esteem, they are really speaking about self respect.
Self esteem is defined as a feeling of pride one has for themselves.
Self respect is defined as a self appraisal of one’s own worth - dignity.
The real way to tell the difference between the two is to simply ask yourself these two questions:
“What can I do for others?”
“What can others do for me?”
Self respect says we do for other people, where as, self esteem allows others to do for us. When we all others to do for us, we develop an attitude of esteem that sometimes can build its way up to a large ego and arrogance towards others. It can become an expectantion, that even today our children have been known to develop. We spend so much time wanting others to do for us.
Today, evaluate yourself. Do you have self respect or a grand self esteem? Are you asking yourself, “what can I do for others?” or “what can someone do for me?”
One last thought: Would you rather pass on respect to others or attitude for others to follow?
