What’s your story?  Who do you respect and admire that you haven’t met and why?

There would only be one reason that you respect and admire or disrespect anyone! And that is because of their story, because you know what has happened to them or what they have done.

Respect is a very underestimated word.  People often try to build relationships, personal and business with people they don’t really respect.  Without respect, the odds of any relationship flourishing are drastically reduced.  So check it out…. do you respect the people you are trying to build relationships with? 

Why would anyone respect you or disrespect you for that matter?

The reason anyone will respect you is if they know your story.  Everyone has a story of transformation where something major has changed for the better or worse in their lives.  More often than not, these changes are emotional.  It is crucial to remember here that we are most times, emotionally, not intellectually driven! 

That we only ever do anything for one reason…and that is a feeling!  That is why emotional stories are always the best.  Stories overcoming fear, stories of elation, of love, of success or even failure and especially stories of overcoming the biggest hurdle in life…and that is ourselves.  It is emotions that make any story real because people can then relate to it.  The most common compliment I receive after an event is when people come up to me and say….‘It was just like you were speaking to me.  I could personally relate to what you said so much’.  That is because we connected on an emotional level.  So what’s your emotional story?  It is not what happens to you that matter but how you respond to what happens to you.  Everything happens for a reason and it serves us.

My recommendation to you!  Take time out to discover your own story.  Without it people won’t respect you and without the emotions they will not emotionally relate to you.  Respect gives every relationship huge depth and meaning, and remember everyone has a story including you!  You can’t be alive and not have one so find yours and share it and get the respect you deserve!

Permit me to quote a couple who have been married for more than 4 decades….”We didn’t make it this far because it was easy.  We made it through 40 years of marriage because we vowed that we would; we were committed even when it didn’t feel like we were, and that meant never backing out, even when it was hard, or uncomfortable, or painful. We learned to compromise, and discovered that difficult situations can make you stronger and more patient.

Staying committed to your goals and dreams doesn’t guarantee you’ll have an easy road, but you’ll be working toward something important with every step you take in that direction.

Very few people get the opportunity or privilege to have an impact or input into someone’s life. I like to think that each day I do my job in some small way I have changed something for the better.  It doesn't need to be anything huge; when I was eight it was as simple as washing my plate after eating and saying thank you to mum and dad. What equated to moments out of a normal day for me several years ago is something extraordinary to some children today.  The world is changing is all we hear.

Now that I've become almost what I admired, I've had to learn to deal with situations that are both unexpected and difficult. There have been times when I've seen something so powerful the tears began to fall before the emotion even registered.  It was during those times that I fell back on memories.  The difficult experiences in my life make every other moment better than it would have been otherwise.

Why do I do what I do?  Because I need to find the moments that change the places and lives around me, and more importantly the moments that change me.  It's what I live for. The desire to walk through each day with that ultimate goal in mind is the only fire that burns forever.

The values we live by are worth more when we pass them on.

Robot  # 1 | 22.10.2006 22:58

...Read the full article.

b4best  # 2 | 23.10.2006 01:21

=Robot;135416>...Read the full article. Thanks for that encouraging article on respect- It is true that when we share our lives stories, how we tackled the challenges that came our way- some one, some where, will get inspired, and in turn would get encouraged to do what he/she had always wished to do, but couldn't.

Shoko Loko Bangoshe  # 3 | 23.10.2006 04:54

There would only be one reason that you respect and admire anyone! And that is because of their story, because you know what has happened to them. I disagree. I may respect you becaust of your past, but I respect you even more because of your present. There are many people who may have an inspiring story behind them which they have tarnished by their present-day deeds.

chrisife  # 4 | 23.10.2006 09:32

Yes. Live stories are very important. It can either encourage or discourage a person. But the truth is that there is always a lesson learnt in such stories. Live stories can either earn you respect or make you loose respect. All depends on your story!:D

Auspicious  # 5 | 23.10.2006 12:56

There would only be one reason that you respect and admire anyone! And that is because of their story, because you know what has happened to them. - B. Attoh Interesting one, Bene. But wait o, Olusegun Obasanjo has a very interesting story - even an emotional one, depending on how you see it. A former military head of state, he was roped into a coup plot and a death sentence was placed on him. Then the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. And, all of a sudden, his jailor died. Segun came out of jail and becomes President again. An awesome story eh? Well, the twist is, we aren't even sure if we respect him anymore.. The question is, has Obasanjo's earned him any respect in Nigeria? Auspicious.

EyesWideOpen  # 6 | 24.10.2006 02:13

and this is my exact issue with bennies articles, why do you take an advisory or philosophical position with an all or none view of things when you are not really in a position to do this. It really is narrow minded to say that the reason why people respect you is because of the past......most things u write seem to revolve around this issue of "your past" and how yu have become whatever it is yu say yu r today. i live in ireland and i still have never heard of you, nor has anyone i know, even living in dundalk. If you want to tell a story, please do, but kindly refrain from this attempt to paint a picture in peoples heads of anything else. I think you will do well if you get over your "past" and stop these attempts to paint it in a magnificent light. I know yu havent dwelt much on yours in this article but the overall theme is what i am getting from this...please please please stop.

bennie  # 7 | 24.10.2006 08:34

Auspy my brother, Na true you talk. The title suppose be 'why should be respect or disrespect you'? Take care everyone. Bennie