Posted by 64Bowtie on June 29, 2008, at 9:13:32
There is much talk of self-esteem in every way you can imagine. What makes more sense to me is the occasional success story that includes bypassing self-esteem and tackling self-respect instead.
Early on I didn't fully grasp what they were talking about concerning respect. I learned that when I confuse obligations with respect, I can't see or understand it.
Oddly, when I replaced my fear of the unknown, with respect for the dangers of the unknown, the concept of respect took on a whole new nature for me. I started seeing that I was confusing my obligation to authority as my having respect for authority.
Now I seem to get into a lot less trouble. I really respect authority. I think things through before acting stupid. I sorta respect authority the same way I respect "18-wheelers" when I ride my bicycle.
Even recently I would look at myself in the mirror and still feel confused about self-respect. Now I see that any smidgen of disrespect I show to authority, or anybody for that matter, reflects back onto me as my lack of self-respect.
I have noticed people responding to me as if I have plenty of self-esteem. Because I am certain that self-esteem has no velcro stickiness w/o self-respect being there first, I continue to learn about, and work on, my own self-respect. My other-respect (respect for other people) seems, now, to be taking care of itself.
My respect for authority has had a "Rennaisance".
Rod
poster:64Bowtie
thread:837124
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20080601/msgs/837124.html