Lesson MMS-9

Topic: Respect

Specific purpose: We need to do small acts for others, like writing or telling respectful things, can we show respect

General purpose: Accept the changes and the differences in the world because they might be ‘right’ in the future though we see it as ‘wrong’ today, or the other way around. What is 'right' and 'wrong' changes from generation to generation. Be open to new things, thoughts, ideas etc. Am I right or am I wrong? 

Step 1: Attention 

Raise your hand if you agree:

• I have said thank you for the food the last week to someone who cooked for me. For example, our school chefs or parents

• I have helped an elderly person recently. 

• I frequently ask my parents or grandparents for money. 

• I have disobeyed my parents when they told me not to do something inappropriate or unbefit of me. 

• I hate it when my parents or teachers tell me what to do. 

• I have said ‘I hate you’ to my parents.

Step 2: Need 

We have all done something that’s a sign of disrespect, whether it’s towards a parent, teacher, friend, a person we don’t know. For example, rarely do we listen to our parents when they tell us to behave, say ‘thank you’ for the food or listen to a teacher when he or she is trying to teach us. Also, if you have called a friend stupid or continued to do something when they have asked you to stop, this is an indication that you are disrespectful. They are not necessarily the problem - they way you act and behave might be. 

We even disrespect people we don’t know simply by judging them by their appearance, their way of acting and social status. To not show respect is something we do every day but that neither helps nor builds us to be better people, especially for the ones we judge. 

Step 3: Satisfaction 

First of all, I would like to address the definition of the word respect. According to the Cambridge Dictionary the meaning of the word is “admiration felt or shown for someone or something that you believe has good ideas or qualities”. 

In a simpler way this means treating people in a positive manner that acknowledges them for who they are and/or what they are doing. Being treated or treating an individual in a dignified manner, showing respect is not only about actions, it is also about what you don’t do and what we think. 

Moreover, you probably think right now. Indeed, how can I do this? Well, it’s not as hard as you might think. If showing respect means act or think in a dignified or positive manner towards an individual no matter who they are or what the have done or do, it should not be any more complicated than that. We have all heard the phrase “do to others what you would have them do to you”. Use this Golden Rule as a rule-of-thumb in your life. Say ‘Good Morning’ or ‘Hi’ to people you meet, say ‘thank you’, listen to what people have to say, respect other people’s boundaries i.e. a when someone says stop you stop, there are so many basic things we can do to show respect.

Step 4: Visualisation 

Furthermore: “Respect is a two-way street, if you want to get it, you’ve got to give it.” R.G. Risch once said. Consequently, by showing respect you will gain respect, turning it into a chain reaction that never stops. Imagine if everybody in this world would think the same way, that if I show respect I will gain it, not by fear or terror, by simply showing others respect, the world would turn out to be a better place. Rarely do we think what the world would be without respect. Hate-speech and discrimination, overall hostility and malice. No one wants that; we want a better place for you, for me, for us, for everybody, for the whole world. But it starts with you!

Step 5: Action 

Ultimately, remember you can change somebody’s world, our world, the world by only showing respect. And it starts with you! So I encourage you to do say ‘thank you’ to the chef after the next meal you eat, write ‘good morning’ to someone tomorrow, listen to what a friend has to say…”do to others what you would have them do to you”. 

Topic: Just do it! Life's too short to think - just do it.

General purpose: Step out of your comfort zone.

Specific purpose: You are going to miss out about all of the good things in life if you don’t take that decision.

Step 1: Attention. Select an Attention-grabber.

I stand here today speaking to you about that life’s too short to think, you should just do it. But truth be told, I’m really bad at “just doing it”. Hopefully I’m going to listen to myself and start doing random things to go out of my comfort zone, to experience more in life and to not think about what everyone are going to think about me.

For example, I should have said yes to go with them and to meet new people. I should have said yes to my friend and go to that party and just let everything around me disappear for a while. Even though I say yes to a lot of things, I’m constantly afraid of what people will think of me and that needs to STOP.

Step 2: Need. What is the problem?

Never do we do those things who affect our lives, for example when you ask that really handsome boy or girl out. We are to afraid to stand out. All of us are afraid of doing something that is going to affect people around us. Either to affect their feelings or to change the way they think about you.

You are afraid to not be loved. You’re afraid that people are going to talk shit about you. One thing I can tell you is that in your lifetime, people are going to talk shit about you and you are gonna have rough times in your life. Just remember who you are and stand up for yourself. Don’t let them take away your personality, don’t let them push you down, don’t let them think that they are better than you, because NO one will ever be that. We need to feel that rush in our body when we ask someone out. We need to feel that our heart beats so fast that it feels like it’s going to jump out of our body. Everyone needs to be more spontaneous in their lives.

Step 3: Satisfaction. What is the solution?

We all are in this problem and this problem is bigger than we actually know. Problems are made to go away, and this problem needs to go away right now. Therefore, we need to stop caring about what people are going to think about us. We need to stop overthinking. The solution of this problem is to be brave. Start with the little things and take one step at a time. 

Step 4: Visualisation. What will it look like when we have solved the problem?

When all of us realise that it’s not scary to stand out or to do the things we want to do, we are going to be the best version of our self. I think we are going to be more social in life and I also know that we are going to be happier and spread the big smile in your face over to someone else who is having a rough time. Sometimes you should just do it and think afterwards, or never think;)

No matter what you do or who you are, people are always going to talk shit about you. Ignore them, do the things that make you happy and the things who bring out the best of you. 

Step 5: Action. What do we need to do?

To summarise, I just want to say that we should encourage each other to step out of the comfort zone. Start saying yes to random things, and the most important one that I’m also going to take with me is to not think what the people around me says. 

Ditch the friend who not let you do the things you want. Be yourself and try new things. When you do all of this, I promise you, you’re not going to miss out on the fun things you can do. “Just do it”.