Daily Question, January 12 How do you live according to your principles? 34 Reflections Share Click here to cancel reply.Please log in or Create a Profile to post a comment. Notify me when someone replies to my comment via e-mail. Malag5 days agoMalagPartly by planning that my actions align with my values. And the other part is guilt when I’m a bit off. Guilt gets a bad rap but it is useful at the right dose to recalibrate the values compass. 3 Reply Javier Visionquest5 days agoJavier VisionquestRuthlessly and unapologetically, That’s how. . . . . 3 Reply Peace5 days agoPeaceI try to live by my principles by pausing, taking a breath, and acting with love. I also try to remember kindness and gratitude. I am not always successful but I do try. 4 Reply Don Jones6 days agoDon JonesUndertake a deep internal inquiry to identify those non-negotiable principles for this life – not what someone else says, but what emerges from the silence and stillness for this life. Then, show up every day living them 100% – but not in an unbending rigid way, but flowing like the branches of the willow on the riverbank. Gracefully, purposefully and with ease. 5 Reply Melissa6 days agoMelissaI do my best to follow the Dalai Lama’s advice ” My religion is kindness”. 5 Reply Linda6 days agoLindaI am staying mindful of my tendency to talk about others. It is not a trait I am proud of, and I am actively working to catch myself when I realize I am doing it. 6 Reply Lauryn6 days agoLaurynTwo things come to mind - ‘maintaining personal space’ and ‘less is more’. In terms of personal space, I live by always making sure I have my own space to escape to- and allow others that space as well— this goes for both living with my partner , but also for anyone I encounter in public. As to ‘less is more’- this is a work in progress, but really taking time to ensure that all of the ‘things’ in out lives serve purpose- be it functional or nostalgic... with the key goal of mi...Two things come to mind – ‘maintaining personal space’ and ‘less is more’. In terms of personal space, I live by always making sure I have my own space to escape to- and allow others that space as well— this goes for both living with my partner , but also for anyone I encounter in public. As to ‘less is more’- this is a work in progress, but really taking time to ensure that all of the ‘things’ in out lives serve purpose- be it functional or nostalgic… with the key goal of minimizing to the point where I can really focus on my goals and hobbies. Read More5 Reply expati6 days agoexpatiMy life vision is about connection. I live as best I can with it and work on what blocks me from connection. Connection with others, with nature, and with the disparate parts of myself. Today I am going on a 3-4 hour hike, mostly uphill, in the mountains where I live, with a friend. I am grateful to live in central Mexico where the climate and terrain allow this connection. And for a resilient culture where the pandemic is just another life problem–no one seems frantic here. 7 Reply Antoinette6 days agoAntoinetteI try my best to live by the principles of virtue. I do this by reminding myself of what matters most – virtuous actions, thoughts and words . 4 Reply Ed Schulte6 days agoEd SchulteBy exercising the Essenes' "7 Promises I make to my Self" ( my Spirit - Soul -Self ) I promise to my Self....... Promise 1) "To serve, at all times and in all places, Absolute Being-ness to whom I whole heartedly belong." I promise to my Self.... Promise 2) "To be ready at all times and in all places to serv the Divine Plan." I promise to my Self....... Promise 3) "To make good use of the Divine Gifts of thought and word at all times, in all places a...By exercising the Essenes’ “7 Promises I make to my Self” ( my Spirit – Soul -Self ) I promise to my Self……. Promise 1) “To serve, at all times and in all places, Absolute Being-ness to whom I whole heartedly belong.” I promise to my Self…. Promise 2) “To be ready at all times and in all places to serv the Divine Plan.” I promise to my Self……. Promise 3) “To make good use of the Divine Gifts of thought and word at all times, in all places and under all circumstances. I promise to my Self Promise 4) “To endure patiently, without complaining, all forms of trials and tribulation which the most wise Divine Law may bestow upon me.” I promise to my Self…… Promise 5) “To love and serve my fellow human beings sincerely from the depths of my heart and Soul no matter what their behavior may be towards me.” I promise to my Self….. Promise 6) “To meditate and to contemplate daily Absolute Beingness, with the objective of total coordination of my thoughts, desires, words and actions with Its Divine Will.” I promise to my Self…… Promise 7) “To investigate and check every night whether all my thoughts, desires, words and actions are in absolute harmony with the Divine Law.” ( and as a follow up to promise number 7 ) What did I think or feel that I should not have thought or felt? What did I not think or feel that I should have thought or felt? What did I say that I should not have said? What did I not say that I should have said? What did I do that I should not have done? What did I not do that I should have done? Read More8 Reply Papilio6 days agoPapilioI would like to live the rest of my life by being true to myself even though doing so may make me vulnerable from time to time. 7 Reply Holly in Ohio6 days agoHolly in OhioToday I am deeply grateful to my parents for instilling in me the importance of having strong principles. I am a very imperfect person. You don't live through as much as I have without being emotional and rough around the edges, but being clear on my principles has held me together and made me clear about who I am and made me a swimmer rather than flotsam bouncing in the currents of the river of life. Clarity of principles helps me navigate situations when emotions run high, and spares me from ...Today I am deeply grateful to my parents for instilling in me the importance of having strong principles. I am a very imperfect person. You don’t live through as much as I have without being emotional and rough around the edges, but being clear on my principles has held me together and made me clear about who I am and made me a swimmer rather than flotsam bouncing in the currents of the river of life. Clarity of principles helps me navigate situations when emotions run high, and spares me from reacting and the consequences of reaction. Principles help me to be more of the person I wish to be. My parents did not have easy lives either. One saw war, the other lost their mother at birth and was separated from family for many years, and they both saw many other tragedies and lost a child together. But they still had lives worth living, lives that made a positive difference on many others, and because of their principles, the lights of their lives will shine forever in those who knew them. Thank you, mom and dad. Read More7 Reply Carol6 days agoCarolI practice Toltec Wisdom: 1) Be impeccable with your word; 2) Don’t take anything personally; 3) Don’t make assumptions; 4) Always do your best. I have found that if I accomplish being impeccable with my word, the other principles just automatically fall in line. These principles lead to living mindfully. 11 Reply expati6 days agoexpatiCan you give me a specific life experience as an example of how you are impeccable with your word? Thanks! 2 Reply Carol6 days agoCarolWhen studying Toltec wisdom in group settings, I was taught to speak with integrity and to avoid using my word to gossip about others. Before I open my mouth I ask myself if my word will be helpful. Is the point I wish to make necessary for me to be true to myself. Is it loving. I often realize that it is not important that I speak in that particular situation. It really helps me separate ego from soul.Toltec teaches me to use the power of my word with compassion and in the service of truth and ...When studying Toltec wisdom in group settings, I was taught to speak with integrity and to avoid using my word to gossip about others. Before I open my mouth I ask myself if my word will be helpful. Is the point I wish to make necessary for me to be true to myself. Is it loving. I often realize that it is not important that I speak in that particular situation. It really helps me separate ego from soul.Toltec teaches me to use the power of my word with compassion and in the service of truth and love. It helps me to think before I speak. Be before I do. Read More5 Reply expati5 days agoexpatiThanks for answering, but to me this is not a specific example, but more general. I can understand if you cannot reveal your intimate and specific life experiences. What point was needed to be true or not true to yourself? What gossip did you avoid? In which situation did you decide not to speak, why, and what was the upshot. In my opinion, specific examples carry more weight than generalizations. 1 Reply Michele5 days agoMicheleI still remember #2 the day you wrote it. powerful. Great examples Carol. 0 Reply Carol5 days agoCarolexpati, Here's a few examples: 1. When I moved here over a year ago, I met a woman who has become a friend.I observed how kind and caring she is toward others. However, we totally disagree when it comes to politics and when she breached that subject, I told her that I could not agree with her but that didn’t mean that I did not appreciate her as a person. I told her I had witnessed her acts of kindness and admired the way she lives her life and that her friendship was important to me. I sa...expati, Here’s a few examples: 1. When I moved here over a year ago, I met a woman who has become a friend.I observed how kind and caring she is toward others. However, we totally disagree when it comes to politics and when she breached that subject, I told her that I could not agree with her but that didn’t mean that I did not appreciate her as a person. I told her I had witnessed her acts of kindness and admired the way she lives her life and that her friendship was important to me. I said what I meant and meant what I said. We are still friends and I do not have to pretend to be someone I am not. 2. I had entered an empty aisle at the grocery store when a a young woman pushing a cart entered the same aisle from the opposite direction. She was followed by two men who looked to be in their twenties. As they started to pass me, the woman appeared to be scanning the shelf in search of something. One of the men spoke to her with such hatefulness my whole body stiffened. He said, “You stupid, Bitch, you can’t even read” and he pointed at the item for which she was apparently searching. She did not respond to him or react in any way. She just reached out and got the item off the shelf and placed it in the basket with her eyes cast down. It was all I could do not to confront him but if I did, I sensed she would pay later. I had a heavy heart I wanted to challenge him but I knew that my words would not have helped her. 3. I was at a senior feeding site where, before the Pandemic, seniors could gather together to socialize and enjoy a hot-lunch provided by the local Council on Aging. Now only carry-out lunches are available. Seniors gather in the parking lot and practice social distancing as they stand in line to pick up their lunch and take it home to eat. Some wear masks. Some do not. Yesterday, one woman said, “Do you think we will ever get to sit down and eat together again?” and a man replied, “Not ‘til next year.” A second woman chimed in with an authoritative tone, “I know the virus is over. They just don’t want to tell us.” I felt judgment rising in me. I wanted to challenge her statement that the “virus was over.” I wanted to tell her, “That is the stupidest statement I have ever heard.” Lots of questions and answers were on the tip of my tongue but they were reactive and I wanted to respond instead of react. I did not want to let her statement go but I had to ask myself, “How do I make my point in a non challenging way?” Finally, I said, “I’m not sure the virus is over. The protests have brought massive amounts of people together. I’m going to wait and see what happens with the virus stats in the next few weeks.” I did my best to own my thoughts and my feelings and still allow her to have hers. I learned long ago that two people can agree to disagree. It’s possible that both can feel like they have been heard. One does not have to lose so another can win. Read More3 Reply expati5 days agoexpatiThanks for answering, but to me this is not a specific example, but more general. I can understand if you cannot reveal your intimate and specific life experiences. What point was needed to be true or not true to yourself? What gossip did you avoid? In which situation did you decide not to speak, why, and what was the upshot? In my opinion, specific examples carry more weight than generalizations. Thanks for sharing, Carol. 0 Reply Anna5 days agoAnnaThank you Carol. 2 Reply Holly in Ohio6 days agoHolly in OhioThose are fabulous. 3 Reply Samuel6 days agoSamuel…by always doing my best to “Love Thy Neighbor” even though some “neighbors” aren’t very neighborly or even very likable. I try to remember that I really have no idea what terrible times that not-so-nice neighbor may be going through in their own life… 8 Reply Holly in Ohio6 days agoHolly in OhioVery true. I read somewhere, “You can love anyone if you know enough of their story.” I wish I remembered the source, but that stuck in my mind permanently, and at times it has floated up into consciousness to remind me not to judge someone’s actions hastily, nor to judge them as a person. 4 Reply Patricia6 days agoPatriciaBy knowing myself, my faith and being mindful. Every morning, I dedicate myself again to living that day in Christ’s light. Day by day. 7 Reply Howie Geib6 days agoHowie GeibThere are a few ways to answer this question. I will attempt to do so without making it a tome. There is a fundamental as to ‘how’ in the sense of source...and in my case it is driven from a connection between my values and principles with my actions, coupled with a commitment to have them in harmony. Before that can happen though one has to do the internal work of sorting out what one is about and reconcile those areas that are in direct conflict with one another. Basic ethics gets ...There are a few ways to answer this question. I will attempt to do so without making it a tome. There is a fundamental as to ‘how’ in the sense of source…and in my case it is driven from a connection between my values and principles with my actions, coupled with a commitment to have them in harmony. Before that can happen though one has to do the internal work of sorting out what one is about and reconcile those areas that are in direct conflict with one another. Basic ethics gets involved in dilemas, as in: is it better to lie about something to avoid hurting someone’s feelings…all tricky in the moment and best faced with a background of basic understanding of how ethics work (a blind spot for many I’m afraid). This took me a while to sort out over maturation as a human and continues to this very day. And yet I am guided by certain lights. We each have to choose our priorities according to our personal standards developed over time. And then there is the practice. How does this actually function on the ground in real time? By being aware and conscious of our behavior. Developing and utilizing the basic ability of accurate self-appraisal and a willingness to face hard truths. All done in the moment. And lastly what is the motivation? Why bother? Because I, for one, (and I assume most of you on this board) know that the spiritual downside of not doing this is a literal and figurative spiritual death, resulting from a fairly pernicious absence of connection to our individual souls. For it is my understanding that the soul drives and makes possible all of the preceding Read More4 Reply Trish6 days agoTrish*I focus on the gifts that are in everyone & accentuate them. *I pray & meditate to connect deeper to God. *I shut up & listen. *I laugh & spread joy. *I breathe (or bite my tongue)when I’m triggered to say something unkind or inappropriate. *I speak out against injustice. *I wear a mask. *I eat a vegan diet. 12 Reply Holly in Ohio6 days agoHolly in OhioBeautiful. 3 Reply devy6 days agodevyI read once that “We control our actions, but the consequences that flow from those actions are controlled by principles”. I will try to not engage in negative conversations), it is a natural law so that there will be less negativity in my life. Another principle involves meditation. If I do this regularly, it is a natural law that I will have increased attention, focus and clarity. I will also be able to better regulate my emotions and quieten the voices in my head. The key point here is th...I read once that “We control our actions, but the consequences that flow from those actions are controlled by principles”. I will try to not engage in negative conversations), it is a natural law so that there will be less negativity in my life. Another principle involves meditation. If I do this regularly, it is a natural law that I will have increased attention, focus and clarity. I will also be able to better regulate my emotions and quieten the voices in my head. The key point here is that if I continue to practice principles on a regular basis, it is a natural law that corresponding improvements will occur over time. Read More8 Reply EJP6 days agoEJPBy keeping my principles close to my heart and treating others as I would want to be treated, with kindness, compassion and respect always. 9 Reply Mike S6 days agoMike SAccording to my Christian beliefs and my Buddhist practices I do my best to be kind to everyone, humans animals and nature. I am learning how to praise more goodness that I see another’s, and Tim for openly express my feelings. 8 Reply 1 2 Next » My Private Gratitude Journal Write an entry in your private gratefulness journal Get Started This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A. DONATE https://gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png Community Engagement Guidelines Privacy Policy [email protected] Connect with us on Social Media: © 2000 - 2021, A Network for Grateful Living Website by Briteweb