The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life is the source from which self-respect springs.

In her 1961 essay "On Self-Respect," writer and cultural icon Joan Didion laid out one of the most essential truths about self-love. When we are accountable for our words and actions — and act with integrity even in the face of adversity — we are far more likely to find pride, confidence, and respect for ourselves. Taking responsibility is not always easy, but it’s a worthy pursuit. As Didion wrote, “people with self-respect exhibit a certain toughness, a kind of moral nerve; they display what was once called character.”