Lots of people like me, but none respect me.

[Carnatic]

I feel that nobody respects me. I have lots of friends, so this isn't about lacking a social life, but I never feel that people hold me in such high esteem... sometimes I feel patronised. Things like, people will often offer me help with things I don't need help with, or I will get the sense that people generally just expect to be better than me at things. It's giving me a major inferiority complex and identity crisis too.

 

I do have some things I am good at... I'm a photographer so I guess I'm probably better than the average person at taking photos, but there's a difference between people being impressed by that, and respect. People don't respect you for your technical or creative skills, they respect you for your life skills.

 

I feel I don't have many life skills. I've always felt this but it feels worse recently as I've realised I've let so much more of a sheltered life and am so much more narrow-minded and lacking life experience than I thought.

 

I don't think there's really any advice people can give me for this... it's just how it seems, I've never done anything with my life that people can respect me for, therefore I shouldn't feel surprised if people are slightly condescending towards me. I need to change, but I need to change people's attitudes toward me as well. They say first impressions count and I think that even if I change, people will never respect me because they will always think of me as the closeted naive person I was when they met me.

[lostandhurt]

In my life I have found that even the people that don't like me, respect me.

 

It isn't what your accomplishments are or what you can do to impress others. It is how you carry yourself through your life. The code you have set for yourself and what you will not allow and what you will.

I have been honest, hardworking man (thanks Dad) that has never backed down from challenge or a fight. I have stuck up for others who are having trouble fending for themselves. I do the right thing, not because I want praise or someone is watching but because that is who I am.

Figure out what YOU would like to be just for yourself and work towards being that person. Not for the people in your life, but for yourself.

Often times the people that are respected the least are the ones that take the easiest path and don't stand for anything.......

 

Lost

[hers]

If people don't respect you, what have you really lost? Respect is very much so subjective and people can argue all day that they aren't respected to the person who has tons of respect for them. Really, you never know the level of respect a person has for you. If you're well liked and know that you are a good person, what difference does someone's level of respect for you matter? As long as they're showing you courtesy, patience, and kindness to you, I think it shouldn't matter.

 

I have no idea if my friends respect me or not. All that's important is that they care about me and love me and want to be around me just as I do with them. That, to me, is enough respect to get by.