INSIDE DHS SELF-CARE, OCTOBER 2014 - RESPECT

[MUSIC PLAYS] 

People behave in puzzling ways. Some are quick to feel angry or hurt. Some people push boundaries - others withdraw. 

Most likely, we'll never know why people act the way they do. The missing piece to add to change most any situation is respect - especially when it's not given first. You deserve respect, always. 

Knowing and caring for yourself allows you to offer respect as an extension of your humanity regardless of the situation. Practicing self-care helps you sort out your own puzzle and keeps you from reacting in kind when you're treated without respect. 

Take a moment to see the wholeness of a person, not just the gaps in their behavior. Your respect for their humanity can be transformative. It can change your experience and could change the other person's attitude, choices, even their life. 

Make respect something you give freely, earned or not. And take time to take care.