Jeanette Coron

Self-Respect Sets the Terms of Love

Once self-respect is established, the quote asks us to identify something many people are trained to overlook: being used. Sometimes abuse is obvious, such as threats, humiliation, or control. Yet just as often it appears in quieter forms—constant emotional draining, one-sided favors, repeated guilt-tripping, or the expectation that your needs should always come last. Consequently, the message is not only about dramatic confrontation but also about discernment. Maya Angelou’s often-cited advice, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them,” captures this same wisdom. Patterns matter more than excuses, and repeated disrespect is rarely accidental. [...]