Self Respect in Relationships

I was reading an article and just had to share it and some of my own thoughts on the issue. (the link is embedded in the title so just click to read the article)

I have observed in Trinidad that young men and women have a hard time understanding and being able to display true self-respect. It is not entirely their fault - however - one can almost always trace incidents of domestic violence, abusive relationships - whether they be physical or mental- to a moment in time when the victim lost respect for themselves and their self worth. There are young women out there today who have no respect for themselves and do not care to have respect for themselves, simply because by NOT having respect they get what they "think" is a man to "love" them. Men do it as well. I have often heard of guys saying, "Good guys always finish last!" I often wonder if they realize that finishing first means - the first to get HIV and/or AIDS, the first to get herpes, the first to get chlamydia, the first to get gonorrhea. I think if I thought of it that way I want to be the "good guy that finishes LAST, or doesn't even finish at all.

It is sad that our youth of today and I mean those between the ages of 18 - 30 years old, have lost the good examples of living with self-respect. The little things that we took for granted growing up - those of us who did grow up with these examples - we do not realize as we get older how unique we were to have these examples and to have the positive self worthy people surrounding us.

A man or a woman who does not respect themselves will never get someone to respect them - no matter how hard they try, or think they're trying. You can't be "easy" and expect to gain respect. When I use the word "easy" I don't mean sexually. I mean there must be some effort. Like studying for an exam - there is a lot of material to study, therefore you spend hours upon hours studying for this exam, in the hope that you will pass. Getting involved with a person is like an exam - you have to study them - but if you're an "easy" person who doesn't have any "material" to study then there will be no real exam. Self - respect in a relationship is like saying "You have a lot of work to do before we go anywhere." Women should not make it easy for a man to enter their life and take it over. You are your own person. When you die - that man isn't going to be standing next to you as you are judged by God. Therefore you need to respect and take care of you first and foremost.