THE TWELVE BASIC VIRTUES (PART 2)

4. SELF-DISCIPLINE

· Voluntary habit-building is self-discipline in its highest and noblest form of application! And all voluntary positive habits are the products of willpower directed toward the attainment of definite ends.

· Self-discipline is the principle by which one may voluntarily shape the patterns of thought to harmonize with his aims and purposes. The privilege carries with it a heavy responsibility because it is the one privilege which determines, more than all others, the position in life which each man shall occupy.- N. Hill

· Self-discipline is the basic ingredient of self-control and the foundation of self-respect. If an executive lacks self-discipline, self-control, or self-respect, even if he is the person in charge, he will not, in fact, be the leader.

· Self-discipline means, at its most personal level, that you do not attempt to deceive yourself. Always be careful what you think. Practice self-restraint in your private life. Remember that a person’s opinion of himself eventually shows in his face and is reflected in his outward behavior. A true leader exercises self-discipline through controlling his thoughts and actions even when he believes that no one else can see him. –Donald Krause

5. TRUSTWORTHINESS

· Trust means a firm belief in the honesty and reliability of another. It implies a confident belief in another’s trustworthiness.

· Trust involves being confident that the other person will abide by the formal and informal rules of your relationship even when out of your presence. Untrustworthy behavior which is obvious to you includes breaking promises and commitments that you can check on. Untrustworthy behavior that may deceive you includes lying, breaking confidences and cheating on you with a third party.

· In developing and maintaining a relationship you too need to demonstrate your trustworthiness. You need to show characteristics like honesty, reliability, acceptance and commitment. If you are mean, suspicious, uncaring, hostile and selfish, people are unlikely to view you as trustworthy.-Richard Nelson-Jones

6. FORGIVENESS

· To forgive the other does not necessarily mean that you like him or want to associate with him. Nobody can be compelled to like someone, neither can a government legislate good will, love, peace, or tolerance. We can, however, love people without liking them. Love means wishing for the other health, happiness, peace, joy, and all the blessings of life. There is only one prerequisite, and that is sincerity. You are not being magnanimous when you forgive, you are really being selfish, because what you wish for the other, you are actually wishing for yourself.

· Forgiveness of others is essential mental peace and radiant health. You must forgive everyone who has ever hurt you if you want perfect health and happiness. Forgive yourself by getting your thoughts in harmony with divine law and order. You cannot really forgive yourself completely until you have forgiven others first. –Dr Joseph

· Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. –Mark Twain

7. KINDNESS/GENTLENESS/CHEERFULNESS

· Cheerfulness gives elasticity to the spirit. Specters fly before it. Difficulties cause no despair, for they are met with hope. Thus, the mind acquires that happy disposition to improve opportunities, which rarely fails to bring success. The fervent spirit is always a healthy and happy spirit. It works cheerfully, and stimulated others to work. It confers dignity on even the most ordinary occupations. Cheerfulness, no doubt, goes a long way to contribute to the success of work.

· If a person works under stress, worries much, lives in anxiety and fear, he suffers a breakdown in his health. Therefore, the converse must be true. If a man is cheerful all the time, if there is love, faith, hope within him, he should overcome illness. If stress, anxiety, fear, worry pull a man down, faith, hope, love and laughter should life him up.- Norman Vincent Peale

· Kindness is words creates confidence

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness

Kindness in giving creates love. –Lao-Tzu

· Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.

Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.

Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it. –Martin Luther King

· If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain:

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto its nest again.

I shall not live in vain –Emily Dickinson

· I shall not pass this way again

Through this toilsome world, alas!

Once and only once I pass;

If a kindness I may show,

If a good deed I may do

To a suffering fellow man,

Let me do it while I can,

No delay, for it is plain

I shall not pass this way again.

-Anon