Respect to Protect

We’re a family that exercises. We have a Peloton Bicycle and when I am doing a ride I like being inspired by the words the instructors use to keep us thinking and doing. I did a ride yesterday and the instructor – Robin Arzon – said these words. It made we think for the rest of the ride, so much so that I wrote them down for today’s piece of art.

When was the last time someone would not take ‘No’ for an answer, or tried to wear your ‘No’ down to nothing? I loved this phrase – respect your No’s. So true! If we do not respect and live by the boundaries we have set then why should anyone else? If we give in, forget and disrespect when we have said ‘No’, no one else will respect it either. I think we all know that, even if some days it is harder to live up to than others.

It was the second half of the quote that made me think, ‘to protect your Yes’. Hhhmmmm…that one sunk in. By allowing our No’s to be disrespected we are asking for our affirmations, agreements and Yes’ to be forgotten and foregone. Which means our word means nothing, our decisions will be wisely washy and our choices no longer exist. If someone came to you and told you that people were disrespecting them, you would give them the courage to stand up to those people and get back their respect. You would tell them to preserve their self respect by standing by what they said, no means no! You would build them up, help them strengthen their regard and give them a fighting chance to stand up and be counted for what they wanted no matter what.

We are so great at encouraging others and all too often fail to apply that same fierceness to ourselves. We give in and buy the reasons too easily, when we ask others to stand firm. Let me encourage you today to do for yourself what you do for other people. Stand strong, stand tall, stand firm and respect your No’s so you can protect your Yes’. What you want, what you need, and what matters in your life is important enough to be respected by you and everyone. There are people counting on you to live up to your Yes’ and you can’t do that if all the boundaries and parameters you have set are crumbling into dust. Respect to Protect, good words to live by and bike by!