When You Start Respecting Yourself, These Are 21 Things That Change In Your Life

Self Respect
Twenty 20

1. Your relationship with yourself improves.

The moment you start taking care of yourself, physically, emotionally, mentally you stop associating with people who add negative emotions and feelings into your life, you realize the fundamental relationship that dictates every other one is the relationship you have with yourself.

2. You start to love yourself.

You stop looking for love to fill your emptiness and instead fill those parts with self-love and appreciation.

3. You let go of toxic people.

The casual hookup who only ever leads you on. The person you love and care about but isn’t pushing you to go anywhere. The relationship that is emotionally abusive. The person you are giving your best to but they aren’t reciprocating it. Sometimes the hardest but most essential thing to do is cut out certain people.

4. You become happier.

There is simply less drama you have to deal with because you are choosing to step away from situations that are negative and not causing you ultimate happiness.

5. Your relationships improve.

Suddenly the people you are choosing are ones who are pushing you to the next level. The ones who just get it and are on the same wavelength as you. Whether that’s goals or your career, when you associate with people who are like minded and positive and goal oriented you become that.

6. You attract quality people.

In the past maybe you settled for anyone who gave you a moment of attention but now you realize the value of your time and you don’t want to waste it on just anyone. Your partner will be the most important and influential person in your life, once you realize that you don’t just settle for the person who texts you back sometimes or that person who is flaky. You stop answering anyone like that.

7. You begin to truly fight for yourself and the things you believe in.

When you start believing in yourself, you stop believing in other people’s negativity or doubts. They might say things that are negative and unkind but you’ve finally stopped listening. You stick up for yourself and if they don’t change you walk away.

8. You become more confident.

Confidence radiates in all parts of your life. From your job to your career to every life choice you make. You look at yourself in the mirror and you aren’t looking at your flaws, instead, the voice has changed to everything you should admire about yourself and that’s what you repeat.

It’s walking into a room and wearing what you want without the thought even crossing your mind of “does this look okay?” When you’re confident, what you focus on is everything you bring to the table not what you lack.

9. You stop explaining yourself.

If you are making choices that are making you happy, you don’t owe anyone an explanation as to why you made that choice.

10. You stop apologizing.

When you are confident in the choices you make you don’t need to apologize for them. Yes, you apologize when you’re wrong but you stop apologizing for little things like being yourself.

11. You stop waiting around.

You stop believing lies and excuses. Because when you are sure of yourself you don’t want to associate with people who aren’t. You let go of that relationship and that person who keeps you on their string. You let go of anyone who isn’t a YES person.

12. You’re no longer jealous.

In the past, you might have walked into the room and compared yourself to others. But now you know the only person you are competing with is the one looking back at your in the mirror.

13. You stop settling.

You don’t settle for average. Your standards might be high and what many consider unrealistic but you don’t change them. Instead, you hold your ground and anyone who doesn’t meet those standards gets kicked to the curb.

14. You let go of baggage that isn’t yours to bear.

You let go of the past and other people’s problems. You don’t let it haunt you anymore. Instead, you’ve learned to truly live in the moment.

15. You stop blaming yourself for things.

Instead, you take responsibility for the things that are within your control. Everything else stops being your problem.

16. You become selectivity selfish.

Being selfish isn’t a bad thing. Putting yourself first is what you’ve needed to do for a while now. You’ve started to do it and you realize you should have always been your number one priority.

17. You stop choosing negativity.

Negative people. Negative conversations. Gossip. Complaining. None of those things add value to your life or someone else’s. Choosing to be positive isn’t just a choice it’s something you have to practice.

18. You stop succumbing to peer pressure.

FOMO isn’t something that dictates your life anymore. Every choice you make is based on will this make me happy? And if the answer is no you don’t go that way.

19. You stop blaming other people for your circumstances.

When you start having self-respect you take control of your life. You don’t play the victim card anymore because you aren’t a victim and this is your life and it’s up to you to make the most of it.

20. You stop trying to win people over.

You get to a point where you realize I don’t care what people think of me. When you like yourself the important people will too.

21. You make overall healthier choices.

And it’s not just choosing to go to the gym that day or eating a salad. It’s the healthier choices of relationships and being selective with who you associate with and how you spend your time. It’s staying in on a Friday night instead of blacking out. In fact, you don’t drink much anymore or go overboard because you don’t have to escape your reality when you are the one taking control of the narrative.

When you become healthier in small parts of your life, you see the overall impact in time or how you have changed.
Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Writer living in Hoboken, NJ with my 2 dogs.

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