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“People with self-respect exhibit…a kind of moral nerve; they display what was once called character—the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life—is the source from which self respect springs”
Self-respect is built by the willingness to take responsibility for being yourself, even if this means being misunderstood, alone, judged, rejected, or marginalised. In a world filled with many voices that are happy to tell you who you are, it takes discipline and courage to have faith in yourself. You are not comprised of public opinion, and if you strive to live up to someone else’s view of you, you will be an imitation—a false self rather than a true self. Taking full custodianship of who you are is ‘the source from which self respect springs’. Nothing is more important than being yourself.