I have spent a lot of time trying to decide what “being a good person” really means to me. How do I define it and how do I act upon it? The answers are varied and, I’m sure, different for everyone.
I believe the basic principle is to be kind to others. The details of how to do that are beautifully simple in theory, but not always so simple in practice. There are many different types of people in this world, which means there are many diverse ways to be kind.
Everything starts with sincerely being present. I do not mean this in a physical sense, but in a much deeper way. Being present means that when you are interacting with others, you focus on them and what they need. It means consciously letting go of all the chaos in your own life to focus your attention on the person(s) before you. If your mind is distracted, you are not being present. Really listen and pay attention to what they are telling you.
Being a good person means that when you make a commitment, you honor that. Be someone that others know they can rely on to keep their word.
Being a good person means thinking about your actions before you do them. Make sure that they will not hurt other people. Giving deep thought to the things you say to people is important, also. I make a point of asking myself these three questions before I say many things, “Is it true?”, “Is it necessary?” and “Is it kind?” If something needs to be said, say it in gentle way.
Being a good person means having compassion for others, trying to understand their joys, challenges and triumphs and supporting them on their endeavors.
Being a good person means remembering that difficult people have a story to tell, too and sometimes, they are the ones who need our kindness the most.
Being a good person requires us to always keep in mind that everything we say or do causes a ripple effect and we need to decide what kind of ripples we want to send out to the world.
Being a good person is:
- patience
- honesty
- not judging
- accepting
- mindfulness
- forgiveness
THIS is what it means to me.
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