8 ways to respect yourself in a relationship and you won’t get hurt.
Respecting yourself is the most important thing you can do because at the end of the day, you are all you have. Of course that’s not to say that you don’t have friends and family that adore you. Yet, when you’re alone in a room by yourself it is just you.
Being comfortable spending time alone and being happy with it is essential to honor yourself. You need to love yourself first before loving anyone else.
1. Surround yourself with positive influences. You are who you surround yourself with. The people you choose to surround yourself with largely impacts your self image and decisions. It’s important to respect yourself in this way because your time is limited. The more you surround yourself with positive people, the more inspired and motivated you’ll be.
2. Get to know yourself. In a relationship, you’re not just getting to know another person. You’re getting to know yourself better. Being in a relationship can help you figure out what you want and need from the people you’re close with. What are you willing to compromise on? Which qualities complement your own? What are your core values that you can’t compromise on?
Get to know yourself as an individual and as a partner. Knowing yourself helps you communicate better, and your partner will definitely appreciate that.
3. Express how you feel when you’re hurt. People can’t give you the respect you deserve if you don’t demand it of yourself. It’s not pleasant to tell someone you care about that they hurt you, but in doing so you respect yourself.
The people that actually matter will care about your feelings. Drop the people who don’t. Speaking up about disrespect stops people from doing it in the future.
4. Communication is one of the most important parts of a relationship, and one of the hardest. That’s because being open and honest with your partner means being open and honest with yourself.
Don’t expect your partner to be a mind reader. If you’re upset, it’s important to talk openly about what’s bothering you. Don’t be accusatory.
5. Don’t accept toxicity from anyone. People only get away with as much as you let them. Whether someone is a family member or childhood friend, your lover, my dear you deserve respect at all times. If someone doesn’t recognize your worth, then they are not worth your time. Cut out negative people from your life and quick. You owe that to yourself.
6. Set down rules. Another way to respect yourself in a relationship is to set down some ground rules. Of course, there’s no need to set anything in stone but be sure that both parties are aware of the dos and don’ts.
7. Forgive yourself. If you did something wrong, forgive yourself and move on. Don’t overburden yourself with guilt because, at the end of the day, it’s easier to forget than to dwell on it.
8. Demonstrate trust. Trust is essential in any relationship, even non-romantic ones. But it means a lot more than believing that your partner won’t cheat on you, and feeling trust isn’t nearly as powerful as showing that you trust your partner with your actions.
You can demonstrate trust by not texting or calling your partner constantly. Instead, text or call them once. Leave a message saying that you’re thinking of them, and that you hope to hear from them soon. This shows that you trust them to reach out to you when they can, and that you know your partner appreciates your efforts.
This should go without saying, but don’t go through your partner’s phone or personal things without permission. If you have a weird feeling that they’re trying to hide something from you, talk to them about it.
