Due to having the flu Wisdom Wednesday has a guest post. My good friend & fellow author Sharon Blount has graciously substituted for me today.

After you read her awesome post please stop by her page to learn more about her. See you soon.

“If someone shows you who they are, believe them.”Maya Angelou

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

Maya Angelou

These two quotes transformed my life in 2024, and I want to share why.

Last year, I found myself in a deep state of depression, weighed down by a sense of hopelessness. As I looked around, I realized that many of the people in my life didn’t respect me.

No matter how kind I was, no matter what I did for them, their actions spoke volumes—they simply did not value me.

And if I ever disagreed with them? If I had a strong opinion that didn’t align with theirs? Their

response was not just dismissive—it was cruel. They would call me out of my name, belittle me,

and make me feel as though my voice didn’t matter. And for years, I tolerated it.

I convinced myself that this was just how relationships worked, that I had to accept mistreatment to maintain connections.

Then came this powerful truth from Maya Angelou:

“If someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

For years, the people around me had been revealing their true selves, but I refused to see it. I made excuses for their behavior.

“They’re older, they’re set in their ways,” I told myself. Or worse, I questioned myself: “Maybe they have a point.”

But the reality was simple—just because someone is older or more experienced does not make them right. Respect is not a privilege reserved for a select few; it is something we all deserve.

Everything became clear in October and November, after I was hospitalized. I was alone, scared, and crying—yet the people I had poured into were nowhere to be found.

That moment of isolation was a wake-up call. I had to make a change, not just in how I allowed others to treat me, but in how I valued myself.

And that’s when Maya Angelou’s second quote took on new meaning:

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

It wasn’t enough to say, “I don’t like the way you’re treating me.”

Words without action hold no power. If I wanted respect, I had to enforce my boundaries and be willing to walk away when they weren’t honored.

If someone couldn’t respect me, then they had no place in my life. Simple? Yes. Easy? Absolutely not. I hesitated because I feared being alone.

I have no family—it’s just me and my son. And deep down, I had to confront the real reason I accepted this kind of treatment for so long:I was afraid. Afraid that if I stood up for myself, I would have no one.

Afraid that I was unworthy of love and respect. But the truth is, the moment I walked away, I found something greater—peace.

In reality, what I had endured wasn’t just mistreatment—it was abuse. And I had finally gathered the courage to say enough.

For a long time, I let my past dictate my worth. I believed the lie that because I had made mistakes, I didn’t deserve respect. That I had to prove myself over and over again, hoping for approval that would never come. But here’s what I know now: My past does not define my future. None of ours do.

We are human. We make mistakes. But no one—no one—has the right to hold those mistakes over your head for life and use them as an excuse to disrespect you.

These two quotes—words I had repeated countless times—finally resonated in a way they never had before.

One day, as I was journaling, I saw them written side by side. In that moment, they became more than just words. They became a call to action.

They saved my life. So, I made the change. I stopped tolerating disrespect. I demanded better. And most importantly, I knew I deserved better. I walked away from situations and relationships that no longer served me, and I didn’t look back.

If you take anything from my story, let it be this: If you don’t like something, change it. It won’t be easy, but I promise you—it will be worth it.

You are worth it.

Thank you for reading, and I hope this gives you the courage to embrace change in your own life.

Sharon Blount

Author of Espresso Served with Love

President of Building Relationships Around Books (BRAB) Online Book Club