People Slowly Regaining Their Self-Respect Usually Take 4 Phrases Out Of Their Vocabulary
Jimmy bronx01 | PexelsA low sense of confidence can diminish a person's self-respect.
But when people are trying to improve how they see themselves and finally get that self-respect back, they avoid using phrases that put themselves down. And in the end, they're happier people with strong boundaries.
Phrases people remove from their vocabulary when they're regaining self-respect
1. 'Whatever you want is fine'
John Diez | Pexels
People who are beginning to regain their self-respect stop setting aside their own needs. Instead, they're more firm on what they really want.
They don't just go along with what everybody else wants, putting themselves first for once. They avoid saying "whatever you want is fine" because they're confident enough to make independent decisions on their own. They don't need to put someone else's happiness above their own any longer.
Their self-respect is improving because they don't have a fear of regret. And as psychotherapist Vikki Stark explained, "What stops you from being decisive is fear of regret... Being able to tolerate regret means that you can forgive yourself for a bad decision and accept that you couldn't have known what the future would bring at the time you made it."
2. 'There's no need to make a big deal of it'
With low self-respect comes accepting poor treatment, and that can lead to a low sense of self-worth. It makes them unable to accept compliments or genuine praise.
When someone tells them "you look stunning today" or "those shoes go great with your outfit," they can't agree. They might even downplay their own successes because celebrating makes them feel uncomfortable.
Even if it is a big deal to their personal life, they're so used to criticizing themselves that they fall into this trap repeatedly. But for a person working on the respect they have for themselves, they're mindful about negative self-talk.
3. 'Sorry to be a burden'
Alena Darmel | Pexels
Over-apologizing can be a glaring sign that someone struggles with their self-respect. They repeatedly apologize, even when they did nothing wrong or weren't even involved in that specific situation. But they say sorry because they have low confidence and a lack of certainty in themselves.
"People who apologize too much tend to feel inadequate, like they're a burden on others, or that their own existence isn't worth time and attention, leading them to focus too much on others," therapist Millie Huckabee said.
She continued, "'I'm sorry' is easy to say but it takes a toll on you emotionally and can reduce the value of your sincere apologies with people you care about... Try to give yourself a few extra seconds to react rather than acting on instinct... you may find yourself being more honest with your loved ones... which leads to stronger relationships with ourselves and others."
4. 'I'm sure they didn't mean it like that'
When someone is unsure of who they are and their place in the world, they place value in others. Even if they're in a relationship where their partner belittles them or hurts them, they justify it. They think to themselves, "they didn't mean it like that."
But for people wanting to improve their self-respect, they don't use phrases like this. Instead, they open their own eyes and see the situation for what it really is. They stop making excuses for bad behavior and start thinking more clearly.
Allison Peterson is a writer with a degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno. She writes on relationships, lifestyle, and mental health topics.
