Tag: self-respect

Posted in Celebrating Life, Helping Others, Life, Love and Blessings

Embracing Humanity: The Beauty and Struggles of Being Human

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Yes, you have read the title correctly, but can you recall words that stay with you? A wise soul once urged me to be careful. The exact words stay with me each day and guide me. I interpreted it as not living with regret, being my best friend, being responsible rather than reckless.

What does it mean to be human?

Being human is a gift worth celebrating. We are blessed with the ability to feel deeply, to create, to love, to dream, and to connect with one another. But being human also means facing challenges, misunderstandings, and sometimes the pain of not being treated as we deserve. It is in those moments that we are reminded of both the beauty and the complexity of the human experience.

Reality

Not everyone will treat us with kindness, fairness, or respect. Sometimes, this happens because people are struggling within themselves—they may be carrying burdens we cannot see, acting from hurt, insecurity, or fear. At other times, it may be because their values differ from ours or because they have not yet learned how to love or respect others.

While it can be painful, understanding this truth allows us to respond with wisdom rather than bitterness. I have learnt not to let it prevent me from being me and to focus on always being a better me.

Coping

Celebrating being human means embracing both the joys and the struggles. It means realizing that while we cannot control how others behave, we can choose how we respond. We can rise above negativity by holding on to kindness, standing firm in our worth, and not letting someone else’s actions define our self-value. It may not always be easy but remember, it’s also not impossible.

Tough choices

And sometimes, the healthiest response is distance. Choosing to step back from people who consistently hurt, belittle, or drain us is not wrong—it is self-respect. Protecting our peace does not mean we love less, it means we love ourselves enough to set boundaries. We can still wish others well, pray for them, and forgive them, but we don’t have to keep them close if their presence keeps us from growing or steals our joy.

Reflection

At the same time, being human also calls us to reflect on how we treat others. I believe in treating others as we would like to be treated. Are we living by the same respect, patience, and compassion we hope to receive? Are we being the example of love that we wish to see in the world? When we celebrate our humanity, we are not just grateful for our strengths—we are also humble about our flaws and committed to growth.

The truth is, every person we meet is on their own journey of learning. Some will bless us with love and encouragement. Others will test us with their actions and attitudes. Both are teachers. The ones who love us show us joy, and the ones who hurt us show us strength.

To celebrate being human is to embrace it all—the highs, the lows, the lessons, and the blessings. And when we understand why people don’t always treat us the way we deserve, we can choose not to let it break us, but instead allow it to shape us into more compassionate, resilient, and loving souls—while also remembering that it’s okay to walk away when necessary.

What can you do? Allow me to summarize what you can do on a daily basis, taking it step by step and bit by bit:

  • Focus on your self-care
  • Be your best friend
  • Find positives out of every negative
  • Keep your faith
  • Celebrate your milestones!
  • Be patient
  • Do not procrastinate
  • Be rooted in resilience

The question at the end of it all is, can you implement these suggestions? Also, what does embracing humanity mean to you? Please take the time to let me know and also take the time to share your suggestions!

Posted in Being Prayerful, Celebrate Today, Celebrating Existence, Celebrating Life, Life, Love and Blessings

When Helping Hurts: Staying True to Yourself Despite Misunderstandings

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Life has a way of testing the sincerity of our intentions. There are moments when you step forward to help, to comfort, to guide—and instead of gratitude or understanding, you meet suspicion, judgment, or even hurtful words. I’ve been there more times than I can count. Each time, I wonder: Why is it that when you try to do good, it’s sometimes met with anything but kindness in return?

Helping people is never just about actions—it’s about heart. I’ve always believed that if you have the ability to make someone’s burden lighter, even in a small way, you should. Whether it’s lending a hand, sharing advice, or simply being present, the goal has always been to leave a person better than I found them. But along the way, I’ve learned a hard truth: your good intentions won’t always be seen the way you hope.

Being misunderstood can cut deep. It’s not just the act of being wrongly judged—it’s the ache of knowing that your sincerity was overlooked. At times, I’ve walked away feeling like I should stop caring so much, stop trying so hard. But then I remember—my actions speak of who I am, not of what others choose to believe about me.

The truth is, you can’t control how people receive your help. Some will accept it and cherish it. Others might question your motives. And a few may even turn your kindness into a weapon against you. That’s the risk of living with an open heart. But it’s also the beauty of it—you keep planting seeds, even if you don’t always see them grow.

So what should you do when helping hurts—especially when people can’t accept your pure heart?

  1. Stand firm in your truth. You know your intentions. Don’t let someone else’s opinion rewrite your story.
  2. Release the need for approval. Kindness given with strings attached isn’t pure kindness. Give freely, and let go of how it’s received.
  3. Set healthy boundaries. Being kind doesn’t mean allowing others to repeatedly hurt you. Distance is not unkindness—it’s self-respect.
  4. Choose your battles wisely. Not every misunderstanding needs defending. Sometimes silence speaks louder than explanations.
  5. Stay soft, but be strong. Don’t let bitterness take root. Protect your heart without closing it off completely.

I’ve realized that being misunderstood doesn’t make me wrong. It makes me human. And as long as I’m acting from a place of love and integrity, I can live with that. I’d rather risk being hurt than live a life closed off to compassion.

In the end, kindness is a long game. Even if the world doesn’t always respond the way we expect, the quiet satisfaction of knowing you tried—really tried—is its own reward. And sometimes, the ones who misunderstood you today may look back tomorrow and realize just how genuine you were all along.

Posted in Uncategorized

Celebrating Respect

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Let’s celebrate Respect!  What is it?

According to Dictionary.com respect is defined as:

  • to hold in esteem or honor
  • to show regard or consideration
  • to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with, as in privacy.

I believe  you know what respect is and I am happy you are reading it because I wanted you to read something you can share with others, be it at home or at school or via email or mail or any of the other available possibilities open to you.

Have a look at this:

Respect involves the acceptance of the views, beliefs and feelings of others. It comes from treating others as you would like to be treated  and it is something I firmly believe in whether it’s between strangers, between bosses and their employees, among colleagues, acquaintances, friendships, marriages, sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, grandparent-grandchildren relationships or any of the other family relationships we know of.

In so many ways we are seeing how respect is being lost.  This video however reminds us “OLD SCHOOL” respect that we have heard about so many times. Respect is a universal topic. Listen to what is being said and see how applicable it is:

In addition to this respect is also needed for nature-plants and animals. Have a look at this:

Here are some things it does not hurt to be reminded of:

  1. Treat others in the same manner as you would want to be treated. It’s the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
  2. Change only to become a better you.
  3. Never compromise your values!
  4. Try your best to live without regrets!
  5. Doing something wrong can never make it right!
  6. Value the relationships you build and the people in your lives.
  7. Be true to yourself!
  8. Respect is a 2 way street- it must be given before it is earned.
  9. In the same way that you must love yourself before you can love others, self-respect comes before respecting others.

Respect and trust are key elements in a friendship and we can all agree that when either is lost, it may be regained to some extent but, more often than not things will never be the same. Most relationships begin with friendship and whether it is any of the relationships described above it involves friendship.

Take note of how Bruno Mars describes friendship in this video:

Hopefully you were singing along with Bruno Mars and hopefully you enjoyed the other videos too. The video is based on friendship but the respect these kids have for each other is so evident!

I was thinking of something local and my dear friend Regina Cozier mentioned this. Thank you Regina! Have a look at this too as it reinforces everything said and brings it across musically. Like everything else there is a lesson in it especially as it can help with values that are being lost in society. Great job 3Canal!

Thank you for taking the time to read this everyone! Hasta la vista!