Out Of Respect for Myself

Those who have a need to throw their weight around (power, position, title, even parents or older siblings) are usually the most insecure and feel the need to control. In my tiny 51 years of living, I have discovered those who crave and demand respect constantly, which borderlines a “worship me and do as I say because I am in charge” type of attitude, are usually the ones that give the least respect, if at all, to others.

While I am currently “out” of being respectful to those type of individuals I have decided to do this one thing out of respect for myself; I have decided to recuse myself from conversations and spaces involving these archetypes. You know when you feel yourself wearing thin, the time you “almost” let it rip, those are your RED FLAGS. Those are your warning signs that you are about to say something you may or may not regret. You are on the edge of making rash decisions. So, I think it’s best to step away via conversation and spaces to reflect on how to respond before you react.

I am not a fan of taking verbal, emotional or mental abuse from anyone as many of you know by now. I also don’t believe in fighting every battle. I have found taking refuge under the wings of God, or turning your phone off, blocking calls, not showing up in spaces they are, works well. You know, whatever that looks like to you. It may sound like, “Let me take a day off. Surely, they won’t miss me.” It may look like, “Let me search for a new job, new department, before I am literally being hauled out of here in handcuffs.” Maybe you gather yourself and say, “I have had enough of your disrespect. If you disrespect me again, we will have to part ways or see less, talk to each other less.”

I hope you know you matter. Your voice matters. Your thoughts and opinions matter. You have value not because of some pecking order on the job or in the family. You have value because you are a person. You are a human being. And God says so. God’s say so is greater than a parent’s says so, boss’s says, colleague, pastor, etc. and etc. I value me. I am to be respected.

~Nikki

(Note: We all can become disrespectful at times. We are talking about people who make a habit of disrespecting others. And there is a difference between disrespect and correcting or setting someone straight so to speak.)