The Thankful List

*As I have grown older I have learned that the following is very important in any relationship with boyfriends, girlfriends, or friends. 

The people you choose to associate yourself with in friendship and in dating should treat you with respect and like you are a special person deserving of being treated properly. You are not and will never be a doormat for someone to wipe their feet on. Stand tall and know that you are worthy of respect and love. 

You cannot keep making yourself upset or angry about things that have happened in the past. It is so tempting to revisit old hurt feelings but this doesn’t help soothe the past, it only hurts the present. It brings things up that were supposed to be laid to rest, forgiven, and forgotten. People change, people grow. You have grown yourself. Therefore, stop reverting back to and thinking of your past self and past situations. Don’t ruin the future with things from the past. Recognize that they have happened and move on. 

You deserve to be respected and to respect yourself. Don’t let others treat you poorly or make you feel like you aren’t worth anything, you are. Even if you can’t see it right now you are. You deserve more than someone saying hurtful things to you or treating you in a manner that is hurtful. Respecting yourself also has to come from within. Don’t look at yourself in a negative way or treat yourself negatively. It’s hard to see the forest through the trees sometimes, but I promise you are worthy and deserving of self respect and respect from others.