Respect is one of the basic and important factors in building healthy emotional relationships between individuals, as it is mainly linked with love, so there is no love without it. As lack of respect leads to a defect and a rift in the relationship, in addition to that, it is essential for respect to be mutual between the two parties to the relationship so that each of them does everything in their power to preserve it, by enhancing trust between them, supporting each other, not violating the independence of the other, respecting the limits set by the partner in the relationship, and for a person to gain respect from his partner, he must first respect and appreciate himself. And that is by having his own opinions, the ability to express them, and to make important decisions, and most important of all, to have the freedom to act according to his nature, and not to be forced to change from himself, and from his personality to gain the satisfaction and respect of his partner. Just as respect is not by words only, but must be translated into actions and attitudes that express the extent of love and appreciation that the partner feels towards his partner and lover.
Let me list the values of respect in a relationship:
1. It helps to improve and develop communication between the two partners, such as the ability to deal with problems and disputes in a healthy and mature manner, and help in making joint decisions, in addition to enjoying being with the partner and spending time beside him.
2. Respect enhances a person’s self-confidence, increases his self-respect and self-esteem, and helps develop the skill of accepting others for their good and bad for the partner.
3. Respect helps a person learn the virtue of patience, especially in unexpected and sudden situations, and respect works to develop the creation of tolerance for both partners, in addition to overlooking some simple matters and unintended mistakes, which will not affect the strength of the relationship.
4. Respect prevents a person from making mistakes, or doing actions that may harm the partner and hurt his feelings, and which could lead to a lot of damage in the relationship. Respect helps to familiarise the partner with the limits that should not be crossed, and the repercussions that will result from such transgressions.
5. When the differences and problems between the two partners intensify, respect requires the partner to deal and prevents him from crossing boundaries, or offending his partner, such as shouting at him, or uttering insults, and other things that may hurt the feelings of the other.
Ask yourself now, am I getting the respect needed from my partner? And most importantly, am I giving the respect to him?
* The author is a consultant in Public Relations and Personality Types. Instagram: @Tipsbyhalahill
Hala Bader al-Humaidhi
