I am different from you.  Everyone realizes no two people are alike, not even twins.  You can see the personality quirks in one another. This part of humanity makes each of you unique and why your authenticity is needed in the world. So, respecting one another’s differences is compassion in action.  Why? Because the dissimilarities allow you to see through another’s eyes and expand your viewpoint. 

Being able to empathize with another means you can see and feel from their perspective. It’s not about feeling sorry for the person or wanting to help fix a situation, but truly understanding what they are going through.  Being empathetic minimizes misunderstandings and enables authentic connections to occur.

When you choose to give another respect, you show them their point of view is significant because they are worthy, even if you disagree with what they say. Why? Because it demonstrates to them that even though you haven’t had the same experience, you see their life events are valid for them.

Through mutual respect, people are honest and take one another seriously.  Through cooperation and collaboration, resolutions can be found because everyone’s perspective is considered. Each person has a unique viewpoint the others may not see. When you can regard another’s experiences, you seek to understand by changing the lenses you see through concerning situation.   

Tolerance implies respect for another person, not because he is wrong or even because he is right, but because he is human. ~ John Cogley

Respect Other Perspectives

Just because you haven’t had the same life experiences I’ve had, doesn’t mean either is invalid. You are entitled to how you feel and what you think, just as I am. When you try to invalidate someone’s thoughts or feelings, you imply their value as a person is less than yours. But if you haven’t had similar life events, it doesn’t mean what the other has undergone isn’t genuine.     

When you consciously choose to accept another’s perspective as being valid for them, you show them respect because they have a uniquely human viewpoint based on their life experiences, just as you want them to regard your perspective as legitimate. After all, it is what you lived through, even if they are wildly different from one another.

So, acceptance means everyone has the right to their viewpoint, thoughts, opinions, feelings, and perspective based on their life. It also means that because of their unique perspective, others may have novel ideas of resolving an issue than you do. Some may be better or worse than the ideas you have based on your encounters.  Therefore, accepting this universal truth makes it easier to allow people to be their authentic selves.  Instead of changing them or convincing them your way is the better or right way to resolve an issue.

Respect depicts acceptance, while disrespect is rejection. ~ Fawad Afzal Khan

Stop Competing With Everyone

Since you know everyone is different, why are you always competing with those who disagree with you?  Because your egoic mind wants to win.  It does whatever it takes to be correct, even if it has to play dirty by blaming or judging forms of disrespect. 

When the ego wants to win, it looks to blame others for the circumstances.  It doesn’t look for a solution; it seems to lay blame as a tool for misdirection. You can see this at work in politics.  When everyone is focusing on who’s to blame, nothing gets resolved.  

The egoic mind uses judgment to feel superior to another.  This tool of the ego may compensate for lack of self-worth or self-confidence. But this tactic again puts the focus on an area that doesn’t help find a solution.  It keeps the emphasis on separation instead of seeking answers. 

Competition with others when seeking a resolution enables the division to remain, instead of collaboration and cooperation, to take hold.  You can only find answers by seeing all the differing viewpoints.  Discovering the best solutions for all involved can only happen when the antagonism is set aside.

When looking for the best resolution, each life experience is essential to consider. And the egoic mind needs to be put aside to contemplate all viewpoints.  Only when all parts of an issue are understood in their entirety can you find a solution.  

You should respect each other and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other but should, like milk and water, mingle together. ~ Buddha

How To Show Respect

Stop trying to control others by altering their viewpoints or opinions to agree with yours.  They may feel however they feel, and it’s alright.  Acceptance of how another feels is compassionate and empathic while being respectful. 

Don’t compare others or yourself.  Since you know everyone is different, why do you compare?  Again, it’s a tool of the ego to keep you thinking you are separate from one another.  It allows the division not only to take root but to expand. 

Accept the differences in one another.  Humans were created to be different.   It allows each person their unique path, value, and contribution to society.  If everyone were alike, the world would be boring.  So why do you feel uncomfortable around someone unlike you?  Because the egoic mind thinks that dissimilarities are scary. Or that the other person may undermind you because they see things differently than you do base on their experiences.  Instead, get to know the person and discover the similarities so you can make an authentic connection. 

Tolerance is the ability to offer respect while trying to understand.  It’s not about agreeing with someone. Instead, it’s able to say you can see a person’s perspective and respect their point of view, even if it differs from your own.      

Respect is appreciation of the separateness of the other person, of the ways in which they are unique. ~ Annie Gottlieb

Moving Forward Respecting Differences

Are those you love the same as you, or are they different?  I’d say they are more dissimilar than alike, and yet you still love them.  That’s the thing about love; it sees past the differences.  You will listen to their emotions and see their perspectives. So you have this skill set to look past another’s differences and give them respect every human deserves. 

The collaboration you want to see in the world must begin with you.  Look past the differences between those around you. Instead, choose to cooperate to find the best resolutions to the issues you face together in your community.

Be the open-minded one and look for common ground. Then consciously choose to listen to understand the other’s unique perspective. Then truly empathize with one another. 

Be aware of the egoic mind’s tools of distraction, blame, and judgment, so you can deal with them if they creep into your mind.  Then collaborate to find the best resolution.  It’s there, and together you can find it.         

Compassion overcomes indifference, narrow-mindedness, and inequality.  It can replace judgment with acceptance and embraces the diversity of humanity by treating everybody as equals. 

We are all equal in the fact that we are all different.

We are all the same in the fact that we will never be the same.

We are united by the reality that all colors and all cultures are distinct and individual.

We are harmonious in the reality that we are all held to this earth by the same gravity.

We don’t share blood, but we share the air that keeps us alive.  ~ C. JoyBell

Do you need to learn how to respect the differences between others?  Do you need help to show compassion to those who are dissimilar to you? If so, please reach out to me at TerriKozlowski.com, and we can put together an action plan for you to create the life you desire.

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