Respect

Respect is something we show others, even if we don't get it back. It's about allowing everyone to be themselves. Wherever you are in the world and whoever you are, you deserve respect. And with our new interactive guide , we want to help you understand what respect means.

Something that I feel a lot of people in the world don't have but definitely should have is respect. I don't just mean for themselves, but for others as well. Respect for each other is absolutely vital in life. Without it, you will never get anywhere and you can't do anything you want to do. You will never do anything you want to do if no one respects you.

Respect. It's a simple word that holds so much weight. Yet, we still can't seem to get it right. Whether it's on the news or walking down the street, there are many examples of disrespect we see every day.

As a teenager I was taught the golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. But when I was growing up, I learned that I needed to show respect in different ways depending on who I was talking to. If I said "hello" in the hallway at school, then I needed to use formal language and a formal tone. If I called my grandmother and said, "Hey granny, what's up?" That was fine for her but not for my teachers or other adults.

One of the most important emotional intelligence skills is the ability to show respect. It's a characteristic that people desire in others and it can help you build healthier relationships.

A lot of us know what respect looks like on the surface.

It's being quiet, listening when others are talking, being patient, not interrupting, etc.

Respect is a fundamental human value. It's also the basis for how we treat our environment, how we interact with each other and what we do with our time on Earth.

In the new ad, we see people of different cultures and nationalities, age groups, and walks of life all respecting the earth in their own way. We also see beautiful landscapes and images that remind us of earth and its beauty; signs reminding us of our responsibility as stewards to protect earth; and ideas that not only show respect for our planet, but for each other as well.

The most important thing we can do to connect with each other is to be aware of how we interact with each other and show respect. We're all different and we should be proud of that. When we're aware of our differences we'll start to understand and respect each other more.

The next time you meet someone for the first time remember their handshake has nothing to do with your gender, race, or sexuality. It will have everything to do with their culture, upbringing, and environment. Whether a person offers a handshake or not, be polite and offer your hand the same way you would to anyone else. When in doubt, always offer it up!

Whether you want to hug, high five, wave "bye", or simply shake hands, go with your gut reaction. If you don't know the person well, a quick handshake or wave goodbye is the best way to go. Don't apologize either way, even if you've made a mistake. Respect others by making sure not to treat anyone differently because of who they are. If you accidentally called someone by their name, don't apologize for it! You can say something like: "Whoops! Your name just popped out!" Everyone makes mistakes so don't feel bad about it.