Your Legitimate Rights

You have the right to need things from others

You have the right to put yourself first sometimes

You have the right to feel and express your emotions or your pain

You have the right to be the final judge of your beliefs and except them as legitimate

You have the right to your opinions and convictions

You have the right to your experience even if it’s different from that of other people

You have the right to protest any treatment or criticism that feels bad to you

You have the right to negotiate for change

You have the right to ask for help, emotional support, or anything else you need (even though you may not always get it)

You have the right to say no; saying no doesn’t make you bad or selfish

You have the right not to justify yourself to others

You have the right not to take responsibility for someone else’s problem

You have the right to choose not to respond in a situation

You have the right, sometimes, to inconvenience or disappoint others