Few insights about RESPECT & SINCERITY

There are lots of important matters which would necessitate close attention, but from all, I truly believe that respect and sincerity require careful consideration because both play fundamental roles.

As we all know, the ancient wisdom states that respect is a universal value that each person desires not only to embody, but also to receive. In other words, respect is a two-way street...if you want to be respected you would have to respect others as well. 

Further on this, we could simply state that respect is a global evaluation you give someone based not only on words, but also on personal acts, deeds and /or attitudes. Aside, if people would understand that their feelings and thoughts are taken into consideration that would make others respectful as well. Also, it helps to refresh that true respect is earned not imposed. If one demonstrates respect toward others, implicitly the others will reciprocate on the same note, or at least they should do so.
Following that, I would like to emphasize that true respect begins with self-respect, which basically would encompass your views of how you are actually living your own life. As a result, self-respect then extends toward your circle/s, in respect of others. At the same time, true respect comes with a clear understanding of differences, in a completely nonjudgmental manner. From a social stand point, in our days, there are recognized two types of respect: the first one is the respect which comes from wealth or social status, and this type is impermanent because it is circumstantial (if a specific person loses all the social privileges then the related respect would vanish), and the second type is the one which comes from the virtues a person holds (such as honesty, commitment, integrity, kindness, etc.) and this type nobody can take away. 

Nevertheless, if someone gets very fond of the virtues s/he is possessing that person might begin to look down upon everybody else and as a result the value of the embodied virtues would diminish dramatically, because only the non-attachment to your virtues would bring genuine self-respect which is not to be confused with ego; ego would need another one to compare with as opposed to self-respect which is basically self-confidence or self-esteem.  
Once again, I would like to highlight that in life, true respect is earned, it can’t be imposed or demanded, and you need to give it in order to get it. Clearly, if someone doesn’t respect your feelings or your values it means that person doesn’t respect you.

As our elders would say, treat people the way you want to be treated, and talk to people the way you want to be talked to. This, very easily, could begin with any of us! Why not start trying to be more specific in showing that you respect yourself and that you respect others. What if we all start to respect each other more as human beings and then expand in respect of other people’s beliefs, opinions, and views about life in general, in a peaceful, non-judgmental and harmonious manner? Can you imagine what a wonderful place this world would be?! When people truly respect one another they cooperate well with each other and there could be less conflicts, more harmonious relationships, less wars, more peace and for sure way more beautiful projects could nicely come into existence…without any doubt, true respect has a deep significance in our society, as well as a major evolutionary connotation. 

Respect for ourselves guides our morals and respect for others guides our manners.

On the other hand, sincerity is a beautiful virtue based on which a person always speaks or acts truthfully in alignment with personal feelings or believes. Sincerity always should involve a pure mind and impeccable action/s, while simply being who you are and being OK with that. A sincere person is always a welcome addition to any environment. Aside of that, I truly believe that sincerity requires a fair amount of personal freedom as well.
Also, there are lots of studies clearly showing that lack of sincerity, basically means lack of empathy, lack of understanding, and lack of carrying. Many stories have been written over time emphasizing that sincerity is a crucial key to loyalty and trust. It is well known by now that true sincerity always breeds positive and lasting relationships between all kinds of people, but be mindful though that the ones who try to fake sincerity are putting themselves at high risk, because sooner or later the true self would surface and if it is not in good standing that would lead to profound disappointment and lasting resentment toward the perpetrator. People who practice fake sincerity risk to have their credibility permanently damaged. There is an old saying, which states that “respect is earned, honesty is appreciated, trust is gained and loyalty is returned”, and time has been showing again and again that’s always the case.
Generally speaking, if people would learn to be honest with themselves first and then understand and accept that nobody is perfect, but rather a unique piece of work in progress would help immensely, leading to a more effective communication, less frustrations, an increased level of compassion, and definitively a much better quality of collaboration. Without any doubt, sincere friends and honest opinions would benefit everyone, relationships would flourish and the correct decisions are likely to be reached. Sincerely expressing our feelings, with kindness and integrity, ultimately helps each of us to learn more about ourselves, about the people with whom we interact, and all of these would significantly impact the quality of the life we live, because life, like people, deserves sincerity.

Sincerity is the face of the soul and it is desired to be kept pure!

Summarizing my rather brief thoughts on the subject here, I could mention that in many situations it has been noticed that both respect and sincerity are perceived like an oasis in the middle of large desert, and both have the potential to elevate the human thinking, to refine the social interactions at all levels, and to enhance the quality of collaboration and cooperation, while at the same time the truth is revealed and preserved. Once into the realm truth, one could graciously extend strength and wisdom, which would be quite nourishing.
May we each strive to become better and better in what we are doing in our daily lives, having deeply rooted in our understanding that certain virtues and values always must be carefully observed if we want to co-exist in a climate of joy and lasting peace.

Our values reflect what it is important to us & the most significant moments of our lives call out for our greatest virtues.