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Could creating your character be likened to an artist creating a sculpture? I believe that character is not something that just happens by itself any more than a chisel can create a work of art without the hand of an artist guiding it. In both instances, a conscious decision for a specific outcome has been made. A conscious process is at work. Character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you make that gradually turn who you are, at any given moment, into who you want to be. If that decision-making process is not present, you will still be somebody. You will still be alive but might have a personality rather than a character. Read More Here

Try these seven steps to help develop your personal character:

1. Define what “excellence” means to you.

Understand exactly what your definition of excellence is. Here’s an example of one definition: “I set the highest standards for myself in everything I do. I do my very best in every situation and under all circumstances. I constantly strive to be better in my work and as a person in my relationships. I recognize that excellence is a lifelong journey, and I work every day to become better and better in everything I do.”

2. Organize your actions.

Once you understand your high-level values, develop a clear organizing principle for your actions. Set a standard by which you can evaluate your behavior and create a framework within which you can make decisions. If have a measuring rod against which you can compare yourself in everything you do, you can grade your activities, such as family, work, friendships, etc., in terms of “more” or “less.” Have a clear target to aim at and organize your actions around.

3. Shape your own character.

The wonderful thing about values clarification is that it enables you to take charge of developing and shaping your own character. When your values and goals, your inner life and your outer life, are in complete alignment, you feel good about yourself. You enjoy high self-esteem. Your self-confidence soars. When you achieve complete congruence between your values and your goals, like a hand in a glove, you feel strong, happy, healthy and fully integrated as a person. You develop a kind of courage that makes you completely unafraid to make decisions and take action. Your whole life improves when you begin living your life by the values that you most admire.

4. Take action.

Create a clear written description of your values and what they mean to you. From that point on, resolve to live consistent with your own definition. Second, discipline yourself to live in complete alignment with the values, virtues and qualities that are most important to you. This is the key to character. Read More Here

5. Inscribe the greatest commandment on your heart.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus commands us to love God above all else–with our entire being!– and to love our neighbors as we love ourself. That means several things: Love God. Love your neighbor. Love yourself. Many of us are good at one or other of these things, but rarely do we commit to a life of living all three. It can be difficult to actively love someone you are upset with or with whom you have vehement disagreement. It can be difficult to love yourself when you make frequent mistakes or fail to measure up to your own expectations. It can be hard to love God when He sometimes feels distant. However, with daily effort and surrendering to God’s leading, you can grow in the right direction with this commandment.

6. Commit to a daily practice of reading God’s Word.

It can be difficult to commit to daily Bible reading, but it is essential for growing in knowledge of God’s will, Jesus’ instruction, and prescriptions for godly living. Take even fifteen minutes a day, read from a passage in the Bible, and pray about what you read. Ask the Holy Spirit to apply the scriptures’ wisdom to your life.

7. Live a life of thankfulness.

Take a journal and every day, strive to write five to ten things you’re thankful for. Even on the most difficult days, you can find something to be grateful for. Taking time to remember your blessings can provide you with an opportunity to be positive when you would normally be negative about your circumstances. The Bible urges us to be thankful at all times. Keeping a thankfulness journal can help you to look back through your life and see the beautiful moments that might otherwise be forgotten.

8. Find opportunities to serve others.

Perhaps you’re married with children. Perhaps you’re single, but belong to a vibrant church community. Whatever your situation, be intentional about serving the people in your life. Build them up with kind, encouraging words. Help them with tasks around the house or your city. Be helpful to those that need help. Offer hospitality. Extend good will just to be loving.

9. Take your flaws, bad habits, carnal tendencies, and sins one step at a time.

Only God can make miraculous, sweeping changes in your life and He may choose to do so (or not) at any time. However, even if God doesn’t come in and immediately make you a holy and righteous individual, you have a responsibility to commit to a life of change. Your sins are forgiven, but Jesus told many of those who came to Him for healing to “go and sin no more.” Endeavor to change your wrong behaviors and character flaws, but do it with a graciousness for yourself. You’re still a human. Though the Holy Spirit lives inside you, you cannot make your life wholly new by yourself. You’re on a journey with Christ. A journey is made by millions of steps, one at a time. Take your life in the same way. Do not be overwhelmed. God will help you. Read More Here

 

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HOW TO IMPROVE YOURSELF & HELP OTHERS PART 5

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Prince Malachi is the founder of The Oracle Network and the Streetwear brand Y.A.H. Apparel

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