We don’t always honor ourselves in relationships. Whether they are personal or professional connections, we sometimes allow others to dictate our actions or words.
If we don’t make a conscious effort, it is easy to end up in a cycle of sacrificing, accommodating and people pleasing. Our hope is to gain is love, attention, respect, acknowledgement, affection or approval. However, what we lose can be much greater.
In order to honor yourself you must believe:
• Your ideas should be valued and given consideration.
• Your intuition, gut feeling and hunches should be trusted.
• Your thoughts are important and should be treated as such.
• Your feelings matter and should be given space to be.
• Your wants are important and should be considered.
• Your needs are honorable and should be met.
• Your body is a treasure and should be treated as such.
It sounds very simple, but taking the actual steps to honor yourself can be another story entirely. For many, the thought becomes, “If I honor myself, my needs or my health then someone will be disappointed, dislike me, disapprove or get mad at me.”
If it feels like the consequences of honoring yourself are too big, it is time for therapy.
Carrie
