In one of lectures on Karma Yoga Swami Vivekananda dealt with the science of work. For him work alone reaches its highest when it is done absolutely without hope of reward – work for work's sake. For him Karma yoga is one of the paths in which a man realises his own divinity through work and duty. According to this view, through selfless action the mind becomes tranquil and free from the disturbances caused by desire and attachment. Karma Yoga is one of the roads leading to the same center – God. He wrote, "I shall not cease to work; I shall inspire men everywhere, until the world shall know that it is one with God." But Swamiji is Swamiji. How can I, an ordinary mortal, think like him?

I have memories of a feeling of self-respect from the time I was a child whenever I achieved something. And this is the way I defined “self-respect” throughout most of my life. But something changed after I began visiting Ramakrishna Mission, started reading the books published by the Mission, joined the Awakened Citizenship Program and perhaps even because I’m much older now. For me, I feel my self-respect growing when I’m able to do something for others – and I also see that the self-respect I feel for myself is also there in so many other people I meet from all walks of life.

I was staying in the college hostel during a group project. The project had to be submitted the next day, so we all planned to work on it together that night. But when the time came, everyone went to sleep, thinking I would do everything. I was left alone to finish the entire project. I stayed up till midnight, tired and stressed, but I kept working because I cared about the team and our marks. The next morning, no one asked how I felt or offered any help. They just praised the work and gave me the next task. Slowly, this became a pattern. I was no longer treated like a teammate, but like someone who would always say yes.

One day, I decided to say no. It was difficult, but I knew it was right. That day, I learned some important values. I learned that teamwork means sharing both effort and responsibility. I understood that helping others is good, but not at the cost of your own respect. I realised that setting boundaries is not selfish—it is necessary. And most of all, I learned that self-respect is the foundation of true confidence. Since then, I remind myself: saying “no” doesn’t make me rude. It means I value myself. And that is a value I will never forget.

There was a time when my character and integrity were questioned based on hearsay, not truth. What hurt most was that it came from someone I held in a high esteem. It shook me deeply. But I chose not to respond in anger or self-defence. Instead, I stood by my truth, with quiet strength and dignity. That experience taught me that self-respect sometimes means walking through pain without losing yourself—and believing in who you are, even when others don’t.