I’m talking about respect. Yup, ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what I means to me’. There’s a popular phrase: ‘You can’t expect someone to love you until you love yourself’ and it really is true.

You’re wonderful. I don’t know you personally but I can say with vivid assurance that you are an individual with a mind of your own, your own personal talents and a great potential. You have special qualities, features and personality that make you who you are. Try to figure out what those things are and appreciate them. Decide what you want in life and what you expect and deserve from the people in your life then never settle for anything less.

Respect from your Friends:

So often in life our friends aren’t really our friends. Sure, they can be fun to hang out with, you might like the same clothes or movies but if a friend doesn’t love and respect you as a person they aren’t your friend.

For girls especially it’s so easy to be catty and nasty but that’s not nice, that’s not fair and that’s not acceptable. If your friend is constantly tearing you down with nasty comments, starting rumors about you and going behind your back, chances are it’s because she feels threatened by you.

Don’t put up with it. If she (or he) can’t love and appreciate the wonderful person you are then she (or he) isn’t worth having in your life. Respect yourself by expecting her respect and not settling for anything less.

Respect from Boys:

Okay Portrait girls. This is probably the most important one.

Before you start dating, even if you’re too young to consider it you should start setting up boundaries and deciding what you want in a prospective boyfriend. He should be someone who supports you and of course respects you. He should respect who you are as a person, respect your goals (and support you in them) and so very importantly he should respect your body (don’t be fooled. It’s yours, not his.).

So there’s this really cute guy in your life. He makes you laugh, he takes you out to dinner at really nice restaurants, he has a cool car and oh yeah, he says he thinks you’d look better as a size zero. Wait a second, is that cool? I don’t think so. No guy has the right to say you’re not perfect the way you are. Don’t settle for that. Respect yourself by demanding his respect.

And what about the very typical teenage guy who pressures you to do things you don’t want to do, from making out to much, much more? Personally I’m a believer in waiting until true love and a committed relationship (for me, that’s marriage.) and I know in this world that’s a notion that is viewed as outdated but believe me it’s not. Your body is your body and that’s all there is to it. Sex isn’t something you're supposed do when you’re dating. It isn’t something some guy has the right to expect from you just because you’re dating. It’s a special gift and it’s yours to give, not his to demand. If a guy doesn’t respect that you don’t want to do that just yet, cut him loose. You don’t need that. Don’t be pressured into giving up something special and inviting in all the complications of that kind of intimacy (potential STDs, unwanted pregnancies, emotional links and a complicated adult world you’re probably not ready for) for some guy who doesn’t even care enough about you to respect what you want. Once again; respect yourself by demanding his respect. He might say he loves you but if he doesn’t respect you then he doesn’t and can’t.

I know it can be hard sometimes to break up with a guy you really like but if he doesn’t respect you then you should look for someone who does. True love does exist, it’s out there and it’s something you deserve.

And to our male Portrait readers the same goes for you: if you have a girl in your life who says she’d love you if you changed your hair or shaved more, or maybe if you brought her that necklace she’s been wanting? That’s not cool either.

Respect from Yourself:

Your body is your most important possession. Without it…well, that isn’t an option is it?

Respect yourself by eating the right foods, exercising, getting enough sleep and looking after your self.

Don’t expose yourself to unnecessary things that make you feel bad about yourself: