If You Refuse To Tolerate These 12 Behaviors, You've Got A Lot Of Self-Respect

Do you push back against these behaviors?

A man with short black hair and a black t-shirt is taking a selfie. He is raising his right hand, palm facing the camera, as if gesturing to stop or hold. His expression appears serious. The background is plain and neutral.

Few people respect those who let others walk all over them. Even worse is when people can’t face their own reflections because they’re ashamed of the poor situations they tolerate. If you’re the type of person who refuses to put up with the 12 behaviors that follow, you know you’ve got some serious self-respect going on.

1. Overtly aggressive or hostile behavior.

Two men are standing close to each other in a living room, engaged in a serious conversation. The man on the right, in a pink shirt, appears to be speaking intently to the man on the left, who is wearing a beige shirt. The background features a modern, well-lit space.

Unless you’ve committed a massive transgression against another person, overt aggression or hostile behavior should never be permitted. If someone’s shouting at you or wanting to beat you up—and you haven’t burnt their house down or slept with their partner—then you put a stop to it before it escalates further.

2. Other people overstepping agreed-upon boundaries.

Two young women are in a living room. The woman in the foreground has long dark hair, is wearing a pink tank top, and is gesturing with a confused expression. The woman in the background, wearing a blue top and shorts, is sitting on a couch, partially blurred.

You’ve taken time out of your life to patiently explain your stance on a situation, and the other person has agreed. Only, they do whatever they want despite the boundaries you’ve set. They’re blatantly seeing how much disrespect they can get away with, and you make it clear that it ends immediately.

3. Condescension.

Two young women are sitting on a couch in a well-lit living room. One with long brown hair listens attentively with her chin resting on her hand, while the other with long red hair speaks, gesturing with her hands. They appear to be engaged in a serious conversation.

You have no patience for people who talk down to you because they have a misplaced sense of superiority. Maybe you’ll tell them that you won’t tolerate being spoken to like that, or just walk away while they’re talking, but either way, it isn’t something you’ll put up with.

4. Theft.

A man wearing a flat cap and a black eye mask stands against a solid pink background. He is dressed in a black-and-white striped shirt and has a slight smile on his face.

Theft isn’t something that should ever be tolerated because it shows unbelievable disrespect and contempt. If you call thieves out on their actions and insist on there being consequences for their behavior, then you’re showing everyone that your self-respect is top tier. Others will pay attention to this and respect you more, accordingly.

5. Other people breaking their word.

Two women are sitting on a bench outdoors. The woman in the foreground looks upset, resting her head on her hand. The woman in the background is looking at her with a concerned expression. There is green foliage in the background.

A person’s word only has value if they keep it. It’s one thing if someone breaks their word to you because they were in an accident or a forest fire, but if they broke it because they don’t care, you’ll take them at their word and cut them out of your life.

6. Other people wasting your time.

A man in a suit sits at a dining table with red tablecloth, white candles, an empty wine glass, and plate. He is talking on a cellphone and looking at his wristwatch, appearing serious and focused.

This can range from people showing up severely late to an agreed-upon meetup or demanding your attention but then refusing to listen to you in turn. Wasting valuable minutes of your life is unacceptable, whether it’s a doctor running hours late, or someone treating you as their personal therapist.

7. Repeated interruptions.

Two young women are sitting on a couch in a living room. One woman with long brown hair, wearing a grey T-shirt, is talking animatedly. The other woman, also with long brown hair and wearing a blue shirt, looks surprised while holding a TV remote. A bookshelf is in the background.

Whether you’re working on something and don’t want to be disturbed, or you’re speaking to a person, you won’t tolerate being interrupted repeatedly. Either you’ll get up and walk away, making it clear that their actions are unacceptable, or you’ll cut them off and kick them out of your space.

8. Gaslighting.

A man and a woman are sitting at a table collaborating over a laptop in a bright, modern cafe. The woman is gesturing as she speaks, while the man, wearing a brown coat, types on the keyboard. There are two coffee cups and an open notebook on the table.

In no way, shape, or form will you put up with someone trying to manipulate your mind and insist that you’re crazy or remembering things incorrectly. You can spot a narcissist or emotional abuser a mile away, and you’ll remove this person from your space — and your life — before they can blink.

9. Cheating.

A woman is lying in bed at night, using her smartphone which is illuminating her face. She appears focused on the screen. Beside her, another person is lying down, facing away and seemingly asleep. They are under white bedcovers.

This may involve being cheated at a game or in business, or someone cheating on you while you’re in a relationship. A person who cheats can never be fully trusted again, and you make that abundantly clear to anyone who tries, if you decide to keep them in your life at all.

10. Domination.

A man in a suit and red tie is standing and pointing at a woman sitting at a desk with her head in her hands, appearing stressed. The desk has several charts and documents spread out. Wooden blinds and a beige wall are in the background.

You have zero patience for a person who’ll stand over you and speak loudly in an attempt to make themselves “top dog” in the situation, nor will you put up with other people making decisions for you, rather than asking you about your preferences. There will be none of that.

11. Slander.

A close-up of two people sharing a secret. One person, who is out of focus, is whispering into the ear of the other, who has a serious expression and short hair, looking intently at the camera. The background is a soft, textured blue.

If someone tries to ruin your reputation by spreading untrue gossip about you, then you establish that their actions are beyond the pale, and they will have to deal with the consequences. There’s no “being the bigger person” here. You’ll call them out, and even lawyer up if needed.

12. Mockery, bullying, and abuse under the guise of “humor”.

A smiling man with short curly hair and wearing a dark t-shirt is pointing towards the camera. He is standing indoors near a staircase with a brick wall in the background. His expression is joyful and engaging.

Many people will relentlessly put you down, and when they’re called out, they’ll try to play it off as “just a joke” and you being too sensitive. They often react differently when you turn it around so they’re the butt of the joke instead. Suddenly it’s not so funny anymore.