Holistic Health Benefits of Self-Respect
“When you have healthy self-respect, it positively impacts your holistic (Mind, Body & Spiritual) health”, said Harmony Curtiss, Director for Healing Hands School of Holistic Health – Laguna Hills. “When we respect ourselves we’re better able to handle stress and more resilient when facing setbacks. That means you’re less likely to experience anxiety, depression, muscular tension, illness and other negative side-effects associated with chronic stress” she continued.
Modeling Healthy Self-Respect
For over 26 years, the Faculty at Healing Hands has modeled and encouraged healthy self-respect among students. They do this by empowering students with knowledge and skills to affect positive change in their lives and careers. They are also eager to point out and acknowledge their student’s unique strengths and talents. Their validation helps students overcome feelings of worthlessness, guilt or shame which negatively impact our emotions and physiology. Most importantly, health self-respect enables us to attract caring, honest relationships and avoid those that are abusive, manipulative and unhealthy.
Respect Yourself
Respecting yourself is essential to maintaining a positive self-image. Self-respect allows you to feel good about who you are right now, and excited about the person you are becoming. Below is a list of characteristics of healthy self-respect. How many do you possess?
Characteristics of Healthy Self-Respect
- You like and respect the person you are. You feel you’re a worthy individual, deserving of love and respect from others.
- Healthy self-respect requires an awareness of your values and beliefs, and your personal ‘Right’ not to compromise them.
- You realize that you can’t please everyone all the time and you have no obligation to do so. You respect your time, and manage it efficiently based on your own priorities.
- You recognize that no-one’s feelings, difficulties or experiences are more important than your own. You have an ability to set boundaries and to enforce them.
- You take responsibility for your life, and refrain from playing the ‘Victim’. You recognize that only you can change your life-circumstances. If you’re tired of the same old story, you are willing to turn some pages!
- You are accountable for your actions. When you make mistakes, you own them, apologize and learn from them. You can admit that: you lied, you were inconsiderate, you were dismissive, you lashed out in anger, etc. Then, you do your best to make amends and avoid repeating your mistake.
- You refuse to compare yourself with others. You don’t need to criticize others to feel better about yourself. You don’t feel jealous when others shine. Instead, you acknowledge and appreciate your own unique skills, talents, knowledge and contribution.
- You can say NO without feeling guilty! You put aside any false sense of obligation or fear of retribution. Instead, you can easily ask for more information or time to make your decision. If your answer is ‘no’ you can say so, without the need to defend or apologize for your decision.
- You allow others, especially close friends and family, to be responsible for their own happiness. You refuse to accept blame-shifting, guilt-bombing or manipulation.
- You are in-charge of yourself and your own happiness. You understand your wants, needs and feelings and can communicate them clearly. You know it is your right and responsibility to pursue happiness.
- You know what your values and goals are, and you make them a priority in your life. You don’t accept guilt for pursuing a fulfilling life for yourself. It is your birth-right.
- You have a sense of purpose that motivates you and provides an incentive for growth and development. Personal growth naturally enhance your self-respect and self-esteem.
- You don’t need others to approve of you to feel OK. You have the ability for ‘emotion regulation’. ‘Emotion regulation’ gives you the ability to listen to others’ criticism without internalizing or over-reacting to it.
- You trust yourself to make decisions that are in your best interest. You combine your knowledge, intuition, and insight when discerning a course of action. When/if you fail or make a mistake, you turn it into a life lesson and continue to move forward.
Healing Hands offers two Certification Programs and more than 80 Massage and Holistic Health courses. Considered a trail-blazer in education of the Holistic Healing Arts, Healing Hands boasts three SoCal locations offers classes year-round during the day, evenings and on weekends. Learn more online at www.HealingHandsSchool.com or call us at (949) 305-2722 in Laguna Hills, (858) 505-1100 in San Diego, or (760) 746-9364 in Escondido.