Self-respect is the regard you have for yourself based on living according to your own values and standards. When you have self-respect, you treat yourself as someone worthy of dignity and care. You might keep promises you make to yourself, stand up for what you believe is right, and refuse to let others treat you poorly.

Self-respect grows from your actions and the choices you make. When you study for a test instead of cheating, you build self-respect. When you admit a mistake instead of lying about it, you strengthen it. When you walk away from friends who pressure you to do something wrong, you protect it. Each time you do what you know is right, even when it's hard, your self-respect grows stronger.

People with self-respect don't need constant praise from others to feel valuable. They know their worth comes from within. This doesn't mean thinking you're perfect or better than others. It means recognizing that you deserve to be treated well, starting with how you treat yourself. Someone with genuine self-respect can acknowledge their mistakes without feeling worthless, because they know that making errors doesn't erase their fundamental value as a person.

Self-respect affects many things: how you let others treat you, the choices you make when no one is watching, and how you handle both success and failure.