You are a gem. If you don't see it, no one else will. From today onward, I want you to carry yourself like the queen you are. Recognize all you have to offer the world. But don't stop there; I want you to command respect everywhere you go. Begin to own your authority. Acknowledge your value. Recognize the importance of your contribution to others, and the world at large.
You see, you'll never get the respect and appreciation you deserve from anyone else, until you deem yourself worthy of it.
Now, I have to be honest. What I'm challenging you to do will take some getting used to. You'll inevitably have to make some adjustments in your life. There will be some who will be offended by your stance. You'll be accused of being: Stuck-up, insensitive, brash, callous, and downright mean-- none of which will be true.
You must know that, people have a tendency to mistake firmness for unfairness; seriousness for insensitivity; and confidence for conceit. But just because they don't understand it, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. Never forget that.
As you go through life you'll find that, respect is not given, it is earned. I'll even take it a step further than that, and make up my own quote... "Respect is not handed to you, it is commanded by you." You have to make up your mind that you refuse to be devalued. And that doesn't mean that everyone will readily see how wonderful you are. It certainly doesn't mean that everyone will like you, that's for sure!
But you can't worry about that. As long as you always treat everyone kindly, fairly, and respectfully, God will be pleased with you. Remember, God never asks you to diminish who you are in order to placate someone else--never.
As I've told you before, anyone worth having in your life will add value to you. So, here's what I want you to do. I want you to run down the list of people you consider to be your friends. I'm talking about those you spend a substantial amount of time with. Now, ask yourself, "Do they respect me? Do they see my worth? Do they treat me with honor and integrity?" If you cannot say "yes" to that question, then I want you to ask yourself another question:
Why am I still hanging on to this relationship? No one can answer that but you.
Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
