We must earn respect, so if you regularly feel disrespected, you should look at your behavior. Even if you don’t mean to, you might be irritating or upsetting people, and you need to change this to regain their respect. Here are 20 things that might be causing a lack of respect for you.
You Make Crude Jokes
All jokes have an audience, but crude jokes don’t go down well with many people. If you enjoy crude humor, you need to know your audience. If you tell a joke that offends someone, they’ll instantly have a lower opinion of you, especially if you refuse to apologize.
You Dismiss People
Nobody likes to be dismissed, but we’re all guilty of doing it to other people when we’re tired, preoccupied, or in a rush. Sometimes, people call us out on our accidental rudeness, but most of the time, they keep it to themselves and stop respecting us instead. That’s why we need to be more self-aware.
You’ve Got Poor Body Language
Body language is the biggest form of non-verbal communication. Psychology Today teaches that our body language, including microexpressions, body movements, and posture, strongly colors how we’re perceived. If you don’t hold yourself confidently and cross your arms, slouch, or frown instead, how can you expect people to respect you?
You Have Annoying Habits
Almost everybody has habits that annoy other people. Cracking your knuckles, biting your nails, loudly chewing gum, and keeping your phone on speaker are all frustrating habits many people are guilty of. If others associate you with things that irritate them, they’ll try to avoid you.
You Interrupt
Nobody likes being interrupted, but you might be doing it without even realizing it. Some chronic interrupters don’t do it to be malicious; they want to add to the conversation and show their enthusiasm. However, people quickly get tired of it, so try to catch yourself before interrupting.
You Have Bad Manners
Do you respect people who have bad manners? If the answer is ‘no’, then you should be hyper-aware of your own manners to ensure they’re good. Forgetting to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’, talking while eating, burping, and not looking where you’re walking are all common bad manners you should avoid.
You Don’t Take Advice Onboard
There’s nothing more frustrating than giving somebody advice only for them to disregard or ignore it. Not all advice will benefit you, but listening to what people say and indicating you’re willing to work on yourself is polite. If you show a lack of respect, you’ll receive it from others.
You’re Too Honest
Society tells us that honesty is the best policy, but that’s not true for every situation. There’s an accepted rule that you should only comment on something if it can be changed in 5 seconds, like if someone has something stuck in their teeth. Otherwise, your honesty will be seen as rude and unhelpful.
You Make Self-Deprecating Comments
Nobody likes an arrogant person who boasts, but it’s just as harmful to your image to be self-deprecating. Verywell Mind warns that self-deprecation is linked to self-sabotage and can ruin your self-esteem. It also makes people respect you less because you downplay your abilities and don’t respect yourself.
You Can’t Take a Joke
Sometimes, people tell us to ‘take a joke’ to get away with whatever cruel thing they’ve said, but that doesn’t mean we should take everything seriously. If somebody is joking with you in good humor and you snap at them because you’re in a bad mood, you will color people’s opinions of your personality.
You Tease People
Friends, families, and colleagues should all be able to joke with each other, but people won’t respect you if you regularly take your teasing too far. Things that people are sensitive or insecure about should always be avoided, as should potentially controversial topics. Keep things light and respectful to receive that same energy.
You’re Overly Critical
Constructive criticism is always helpful, but people who are overly critical all the time are exhausting to be around. If you’re constantly criticizing what people say and do, they’ll respond to your disrespect in kind. You might think you’re helping by offering your thoughts, but you need to know when to stop.
You Hog the Spotlight
Being proud of your success is one thing, but it’s another to brag for longer than necessary. Hogging the spotlight leaves a sour taste in people’s mouths because they’ll think you love attention and can’t share it with anyone else. It’s always best to gracefully know when it’s no longer your moment.
You Lack Authority
Being too quiet can be just as bad as being too loud when it comes to garnering people’s respect. People who lack authority are seen as weak and easily influenced, so others often walk all over them. Showing authority isn’t a bad thing, especially if your strength inspires people to respect you.
You Don’t Stand Up For Yourself
Not everyone is born confident, but if you’re naturally shy, you still need to stand up for yourself if you want to be respected. According to Psych Central, the inability to set boundaries is often seen as a weakness, and people frequently take advantage of weak people. Don’t be a pushover.
You’re Overconfident
While confidence is an excellent trait to have, be careful not to become overconfident. Overconfident people regularly put others down because they think they know best, which makes it more embarrassing when they make mistakes and refuse to own them. Be confident in your abilities, but don’t get carried away.
You’re a People Pleaser
You might think people-pleasing is an easy way to get people to like you, but it actually causes them to lose respect for you. If people think you’re constantly sucking up to them or other people, they’ll question your motives or feel uncomfortable. You don’t need to overdo it to make people like you.
You Make Everything Your Business
Nobody likes someone who pokes their nose into other people’s business, so if you have nosy habits, you may notice people pulling away from you. Making everything your business makes you look like a busybody with no regard for other people’s privacy. Remember, respect in any relationship is mutual.
You Have Poor Hygiene
Though it’s called personal hygiene, your hygiene affects everyone else when you’re out in public. Unless you’re suffering from a disorder that prevents you from caring for yourself, like depression, there’s no excuse for bad hygiene. People respect others who look clean and smell fresh more than those who don’t.
You Surround Yourself with Unkind People
If you always try your hardest to be polite, kind, and thoughtful and still feel disrespected, the problem might be who you choose to spend time with. The American Psychological Association recommends stable, healthy friendships for improved well-being and longevity. Surrounding yourself with unkind people will always have the opposite effect.
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