Can you hear me?
Everyone has bad days. Some days are just worse than others!
When we communicate with others it is important to feel that you are heard. How often do you feel that people talk over you?
It happens in shops, especially as you get older, or with people who are too busy to care.
We never know what others are going through, as they do not know what we are coping with.
Therefore, by learning how to communicate from an early age is an important part of feeling heard, as it is also mainly about learning how to respect others.
By encouraging our children to communicate open and honestly can help them build strong healthy relationships.
By the time they get to their teen years, there will be so many outside influences that will not only challenge them, but will challenge you as a parent, caregiver, or grandparent.
Benefits of respecting others
There are many benefits to respecting others. For one, there will be less conflict in your life as you are less likely to argue with people.
The bible says “treat others how you would like to be treated”.
If you reflect on that simple message, then it is easy. If you show your respect for somebody, they are more likely to reciprocate that feeling.
Listening to reply is not ‘helpful’, but listening to ‘understand’ what the other person is saying, even by reading their body language, will give you a clue as to what to say when replying.
If you feel you have to respond in anger, then it is far better to walk away, or if you are on a telephone call, to excuse yourself from the conversation and hang up.
In this day and age of social media, teenagers are swamped by peer pressure. There are loud, brash teenagers who think that this sort of behaviour is normal, and they hurt others, or bully others without thinking about the consequences of their actions.
All that does is shows others that they actually have no respect for themselves.
Alternatively, if you respect yourself, you can respect others, and it will lead to greater social connectivity as your peers will want to engage with you and be around you.
It is important to practice empathy and kindness and active listening, so that you can see things from another person’s perspective.
Respect is a two way street- if you want it, then you have to give it! It also has a boomerang effect, as it comes back to you and is the first step to living in harmony and peace.
By being kind to others, and by being compassionate, non-judgemental, and smiling in greeting or helping others not only makes you feel better, but it is a way of making the world a better place for all.
Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.
© gentlelifehacks.com| KC 9-24
