Why Self-Respect is So Powerful

"Self-respect is often described as a somewhat abstract, intuitive, internal feeling or judgement that one has about oneself. But if we observe it up-close and long-term, we can see that it's actually built, brick by brick, from the tiny promises one keeps to themselves repeatedly over the course of their life. Psychological research suggests that self-respect is not just a nice-to-have."

"When talking about self-worth, there are two core concepts that are often conflated: self‑respect and self-esteem. Self-esteem is the confidence someone has in their own abilities and their overall sense of worth; self-respect might be considered a subset of this generalized feeling. Self-respect (also referred to as "appraisal self-respect") is the belief that someone deserves dignity and regard because they treat themselves with consistent integrity, not just because they succeed or get external validation."

Self-respect accumulates through repeated adherence to small personal promises and consistent self-directed actions. Keeping routine commitments to oneself creates a sense of dignity grounded in integrity rather than external achievements. Psychological evidence indicates that acting in accordance with moral standards raises state self-respect and, over time, strengthens overall self-esteem. Self-respect reflects an appraisal that one deserves regard because of faithful self-treatment, not merely success or praise. Self-esteem may fluctuate with external outcomes, while self-respect stems from an internal code and persists despite outside ups and downs.

Read at Psychology Today