Your Personal Bill of Rights

[David Baxter PhD]

Your Personal Bill of Rights
by Kate Daigle at Kate Daigle Counseling
March 21, 2013

PERSONAL BILL OF RIGHTS

1. I have a right to ask for what I want.
2. I have a right to say no to requests or demands that I cannot meet.
3. I have a right to express all of my feelings ? positive and negative.
4. I have a right to change my mind.
5. I have a right to make mistakes and do not have to be perfect.
6. I have a right to follow my own values and beliefs.
7. I have the right to say no to anything if I feel that I am not ready, if it is unsafe, or if it conflicts with my values.
8. I have the right to determine my own priorities.
9. I have the right not to be responsible for the actions, feelings, or behavior of others.
10. I have the right to expect honesty from others.
11. I have the right to be angry at someone I love.
12. I have the right to be myself. To be unique.
13. I have the right to express fear.
14. I have the right to say, ?I don?t know?.
15. I have the right not to give excuses or reasons for my behavior.
16. I have the right to make decisions based on my feelings.
17. I have the right to my own personal space and time.
18. I have the right to be playful.
19. I have the right to be healthier than those around me.
20. I have the right to feel safe, and be in a non-abusive environment.
21. I have the right to make friends and be comfortable around people.
22. I have the right to change and grow.
23. I have the right to have my wants and needs respected by others.
24. I have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
25. I have the right to be happy.

Remind yourself of these rights daily! It might be helpful to print a copy and post it where you can see it every day.

 

[GDPR]

I am going to print this out and hang it somewhere that I can see it every morning,like right behind my coffee pot.

Rights are things we are entitled to,so If I have a right to all these things on this list,then there should be no reason to feel guilty for them.But I DO feel guilty sometimes and feel like I am being selfish or self centered.

How do you just accept, believe and go by these rights,and stand up for your rights without feeling like it's wrong,without feeling guilty?Is it the more you do it,the better you feel and with practice it gets easier?

 

[rdw]

You could begin by reading the rights everyday or everytime you feel conflicted. Practice practice practice! I found it very difficult to say "no" to just about anyone in need. But with a little practice and the knowledge that my life was a train wreck, I am managing to improve on this all of the time. It is never wrong to look after yourself - never!