Nowadays, with politics being so divided and people having different opinions, I think it's important to find balance between common sense and an open mind.
We might want to ask ourselves, "What are my fundamental beliefs, and am I sticking to them, or am I just going along with the crowd to avoid conflict or rejection from my friends?
Do I really understand what I believe in?"
Being open to new ideas while staying true to our basic values isn’t just a personal virtue, it’s what makes a healthy democracy.
While researching this article I stumbled on NYT columnist David Brooks’ beautiful explanation of virtues, titled
“The Moral Bucket List”.
In his quest for living a more balanced life, David realized that he must work a little harder if he wants to save his soul. In his pursuit, it occurred to him that there are two sets of virtues, the resume virtues, and the eulogy virtues.
“The resume virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace.
The eulogy virtues are the ones that are talked about at your funeral — whether you were kind, brave, honest, or faithful. Were you capable of deep love?
We all know that eulogy virtues are more important than the résumé ones. But our culture and our educational systems spend more time teaching the skills and strategies you need for career success than the qualities you need to radiate that sort of inner light.
Many of us are clearer on how to build an external career than on how to build inner character.”
Self-awareness is key in manifesting our desired virtues.
Our thoughts, beliefs, and actions shape our reality. We have the power to create the life we want, but first, we must look within and notice when we’re off track and out of alignment with our core values.
When we lack flexibility and become too rigid, we limit our growth and easily fall into an “us vs. them” mentality.
When we find ourselves stuck in negative emotions, we can always break free from that cycle.
Imagine yourself as a deep-rooted tree, grounded and firmly planted weathering life's storms.
The roots symbolize our grounding common sense, while the flexible branches represent our willingness to embrace new ideas and different perspectives.
Striking a balance between these two parts of our lives is pivotal for personal growth and cultivating connections with others.
The Humility Shift
Those we admire are profoundly honest about their own weaknesses and have achieved humility through intense self-awareness.
Self-Defeat
External success is achieved through competition with others, but character is built through confronting our own weaknesses. Learn to tame anger, even if it means doing silly things to let it go.
The Dependency Leap
Character is defined by being deeply rooted, and people with character understand that self-mastery requires help from others.
Energizing Love
Love has the power to overcome our natural self-centeredness. It electrifies us and reminds us that our true wealth lies in others.
The Call Within the Call
Answering the call to serve or help others quiets the self and brings fulfillment.
The Conscious Leap
Those on the path to inner light ask themselves, "What is life asking of me?" They strive to match their intrinsic talents with the world's deep needs. When the ego can rest, a sense of limitless gratitude and acceptance of how life has treated us is achieved.
