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A close-up of a newly opened delphinium flower (Summer 2013).

Monday, May 9, 2011

Seeing the Best in You: Part II

To be nobody but yourself in a world doing its best 
to make you everybody else means to fight 
the hardest battle any human can ever fight 
and never stop fighting.

~ e. e. cummings

Last week I wrote about Seeing the Best in You: Part I, where I described some of the qualities that make you a wonderful human being.

Today, I would continue to explore other qualities that make you an amazing person.

Here they are:

Love. You are capable of deep love, commitment, and connection. Your connections go beyond the human level and you feel you are a part of nature, such that you care for your environment and its wildlife. Also, you measure wealth in terms of the quality of your relationships, be it with your family, friends, or co-workers.

Love of learning. You are always learning something new, regardless of your age or education. You are excited at the prospect of knowing things you have not known before and you use all kinds of resources to accomplish this--from physical to mental, from analog to digital, from books to ebooks, from old to new, from history to geography. You delight in learning about various cultures and how people are similar and yet different. 

Open-mindedness. You are not rigid about right and wrong, about how things are done, about how people choose. You realize that the world is not "black and white" but also shades of grey. You are always willing to understand others' points of view without compromising your own values. 

Perseverance. You believe in working hard, in being focused, and in getting things done. You are not easily discouraged by the height of the mountain you have to climb or the rugged valleys you have to traverse. You know that you can accomplish things if you just stick to your goals.

Perspective. You have the ability to see the big picture. While others may be confused, you see situations clearly. Although you might be immersed in your subjective experience, you also have the ability to be objective and thus see the antecedents and consequences of certain decisions and events. 

Prudence. You always take time to think through first before acting. Being risky and impulsive is not part of your personality. This is shown in careful deliberation before making important decisions. For instance, you are not an impulsive lover or buyer. And you are careful not to say things that you will later regret. 

Self-regulation. You have the ability to control your self. You balance your desires with an anticipatory knowledge of consequences. You sometimes indulge but not over-indulge. Your impulses do not get the best of you and you know that the reward is worth the work and the wait. 

Simplicity. It is elegance in having few, whether it is in clothes, make-up, furniture, house arrangement, or in writing. You appreciate simple moments and things, without too much complication and clutter.  

Spirituality. You believe in the transcendence. Your internal dialogue is attuned to Someone who is your guide and solace when situations are joyful or difficult. Your insight and understanding of some universal truths and forces provide rich context in your life.

Zest. You are blessed with energy and enthusiasm. You make things happen, you love your life, and are excited about your plans. In short, you have the "joie de vivre" and you are a magnet to people because of your cheerful enjoyment of life.

These are some of the qualities that constitute the best in you. There might be other important qualities as well that I have not included here. 

Take note that you are not born with these qualities; they are learned over the years and can be difficult to master. Thus, I say to you, you are becoming more wonderful each day.


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As always, feel free to leave your comments below. 

You can also suggest any topic of interest and I will do my best to write about it.

Have an awesome week, dear readers!


1 comment:

  1. This is great, Dr. Chaves! I felt great after reading it. It's so easy for us to dwell on the things we don't have, while ignoring the amazing qualities we have come to develop throughout our lives. Thanks for posting!

    Richard

    ReplyDelete