When It’s Ugly Out There.

“Define your day with the dignity of decency”- Futurist Jim Carroll

My wonderful neighbour has this little bit of sentiment taped up next to her computer. I think it’s lovely.

Be content, thankful, peaceful, loved, & loving.
Dance like no one can see you,
And love like you’ve never been hurt.

Sentiments like this are always useful, because they help to instill in us the values of decency, hope, strength and courage that can get us through our days.

That seems particularly important right now. At times, it seems all too evident that we are in a very ugly moment of human history. We seem surrounded by angry people. Appalling behaviour. Hateful noise. Uggh.

How do you get through it all? By reminding yourself at every moment that you can live the values of decency and dignity that your mother might have taught you. By reaching into your soul and reminding yourself of the core principles that mark your ethical soul. By working hard to find yourself those moments of peace to shelter yourself from the ugliness. By simply being someone that YOU can be proud of.

Maybe try this — a few of my rules that I use to try to guide myself through the days.

1. Be optimistic — banish negativity
2. Reinforce your optimism regularly
3. Practice kindness
4. Be compassionate — know that others are less fortunate
5. Be grateful for your good fortune
6. Count your blessings, not your chickens
7. When your anger rises, ask if it is necessary or helpful.
8. Try to listen to others more
9. But don’t argue with fools
10. Actually, try not to argue
11. Put in the effort
12. Don’t wait for others to do it for you.
13. Rely on yourself, not others
14. Be practical, not grandiose
15. Don’t whine when things go wrong.
16. Expect that things will go wrong.
17. Fix the wrongs fast.
18. Stay in your zone of control
19. Don’t try to control the things you can’t.
20. Stop trying to please everyone.
21. Please those who matter.
22. Admit you don’t know everything.
23. Try to learn more about the things you don’t know.
24. Define yourself with decency
25. Carry yourself with dignity.

Be kind to each other. It’s ugly out there.

Futurist Jim Carroll believes that at times like these, it’s important that we double down on decency.

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