Standards- a level of quality or attainment.

There is a level of behavior we will accept in any situation. These are our standards. Our standards exist in our relationships, our careers, and ourselves, and the level of quality we agree is the level of quality we will be defined by in life. Today the challenge is to look at the standards you accept in all phases of your life. Is it time to raise the standards of what you expect? This fact can only be discovered if you are more conscious of exactly what your standards of behavior are. It begins by looking at your thoughts, the resulting emotions, the words you use, and the actions you consciously take every day. What are your standards? Are there things you can no longer accept? Change is an inevitable part of life; if you are not happy with the way things are going, it is time to change.

Professional Standards

No matter what you do to earn a living, you have standards of the behavior you expect from those around you. Your self-esteem and value will determine the level of those standards in life. If you believe you are valuable, you will demand to be treated with respect in all interactions. The great thing is, that is most often how people will treat you.   It is not wrong or awkward to hold people to a standard of behavior, and it is the level at which you perceive your value and stick to it.

Your self-worth has been developed since you were very young. The messages you were sent as a child the way your parents, teachers, and peers treated you created your standards. It doesn’t matter what career you are in, and people will treat you accurately the way you allow them to, which comes from your criteria. Look at what you accept, then think about how you would like to be different and take nothing less than that behavior. It is not bitchy, difficult, or wrong to feel self-value and expect to be treated positively. It would help if you demanded it in the workplace.

Relationship Standards

When it comes to relationships of all kinds, standards are vital to the type of treatment you will accept and receive. Relationships are a difficult thing to learn how to manage. There is no class in school to help you manage all of the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that come from being in a relationship with someone, and you have to figure it all out on your own. Since most of us are in our teens when we are forming these standards, they can be very inconsistent, varied, and all over. Our earliest experiences with love will build the base for all relationships that follow. If you accept bad behavior or lack self-esteem, you may think this is the type of relationship you deserve and the one you will get until you change your standards.

Look at your relationships today and see where your standards lie. Honestly, know where you are on your partner’s priority list and see if that is where you want to be. Is your standard too low, too high, or just right? This inquiry is the type of conscious thought that can improve your life. Love is difficult to manage because it comes with an equal slice of fear. Fear of being alone, being judged by others, failing, not being reasonable, or not being successful can always haunt you. All of these are rolled into relationships, and they help set the standards of what type of treatment you accept. Are you living out of love or fear? Set your criteria to love, acceptance, understanding, kindness, and support for your partner. Accept nothing less than that in return, or you will be living an unhappy life.

Your Standards

Then there are the standards you set for yourself. The behavior you accept from yourself will affect your life and the success you experience more than anything else. If you look in the mirror and you don’t like your fitness level, it is time to make a change. Start by looking at your standards for what type of food you eat and how much exercise you are getting. Those standards need to change before you can. The same is true in finances or the quality of your relationships. What you accept from other people is going to be what you get.

The good news is that all of this can change and change quickly. We can change standards, and behaviors and experiences will change with them. You won’t lose 40 lbs in a day, but you can start your path to losing 40 pounds by setting higher standards for yourself and then being dedicated to living up to0 them. If you accept nothing less than your criteria, you have no choice but to improve in whichever areas you have chosen to focus on in your life. Where focus goes, energy flows.

First Thing to Do

The first thing to do is to identify what your standards are. Rest assured, you are achieving the standard you set for yourself. Set them higher if you want to experience improvement. It all starts with a conscious awareness of all of your thoughts on what you accept, how you deal with the resulting feelings, the words you speak to express them, and your actions. Nothing happens without your direct and consistent action.

“If you want to change your life, you have to raise your standards.” -Tony Robbins

“Key to success? Change the status quo. Raise your standards.” -Anonymous

“Never lower your standards to fit in with other people.” -Anonymous