Considering improving yourself with some good old-fashioned values?
Being virtuous might sound like a big deal, but really, it is quite simple to instill it in all the small acts we perform in due course of the day. Leading a virtuous life helps establish happy relationships, be satisfied with ourselves, and be proud of who we are. It brings a sense of fulfillment and belongingness with the world around us and develops mutual respect and love with everyone we interact with.
If you wish to start inculcating virtues into your life, the best day to start is today! It is never too late to self-reflect and start afresh. You don’t need to overturn your behavior at once completely; simply choose a virtue and work on it till you feel you have completely installed it in your life, and then move to the next one. Once you start changing your behavior for good, your sense of accomplishment and the positive feedback you receive will drive you to move on to the next virtue and gradually grow into a better human being with a stronger character and spirit.
Below is a complete list of virtues that will enable you to build character and establish consciousness and well-being –
1. Orderliness – It is essential to work through your day the way you plan it. Plan your activities, decide how and when you will do what, and try your best to perform them accordingly. Being planned and orderly at home and work also gives you a neat environment to properly focus your thoughts.
2. Generosity – This is one virtue that benefits you and the people around you equally. Be generous in donating or helping others, irrespective of how small the help is. You could simply share a meal with your elderly neighbor and watch them radiate with love and gratitude for you.
3. Courage – Being courageous is, of course, easier said than done. It takes a lot to do something that you have been afraid of, but once you push yourself and cross the first hurdle, you will realize that you can do absolutely anything! All it takes is a little trust in yourself. You can always ask for help from people who you are close to if you require it.
4. Wisdom – Wisdom is the sense that helps you differentiate right from wrong. Indeed, you cannot become wise in a day – it takes years to figure it out. You can start gathering wisdom by learning every day, and that learning comes from observation, assessment, understanding, compassion, and a sense of judgment.
5. Justice – A sense of justice helps you think about your and others’ actions, form conclusions and judgments, and accordingly. It is vital to promote equity, defend the right and innocent, and not be blinded by misconceptions.
6. Self-control – Developing self-control will empower you to be in control of your thoughts and actions while preventing you from making rash emotional decisions, all for the greater good. It teaches compassion for others and awareness of yourself.
7. Assertiveness – Aim at achieving goals by executing your plans, asking for help, looking for solutions to your problems instead of giving up, and asking for what you think you deserve. Being assertive makes your peers respect you, and you also gain confidence and the will to push yourself beyond the comfort zone.
8. Helpfulness – Lending a helping hand and making thoughtful gestures doesn’t just benefit the person you are helping but also strengthens your bond with them. Helping strangers adds a feel-good factor to your life and will be uplifting for you.
9. Modesty – Modesty is the purity in action, speech, clothing, and thought. It helps you carry yourself in a dignified way and creates a respectful aura around you.
10. Peacefulness – Peace is essential for a happy life. Try not to react too much to situations and put your mental peace topmost in your personal goals. It will allow you to be calm and level-headed in your daily busy life, which will, in turn, boost your productivity and efforts.
11. Service – Service to humanity and nature can bring a great sense of self-worth. Helping others for the greater good is our personal way of giving back to society.
12. Forgiveness – It is certainly not easy to forgive everyone for their misdeeds, but forgiveness is more necessary for our mental peace than the other person’s. Holding grudges can be toxic and can spoil your mood for days or even weeks while damaging your relationship with others as well.
13. Purposefulness – It is great to have clear thoughts and focused plans for the day, week, month, and even year in advance. Take time to plan and follow it as much as you can. Having a sense of purpose is a powerful driving force for putting your plans into action and gives you the energy to work through the day.
14. Good counsel – We all need help and advice at times, but it is also important to identify who you can turn to for unbiased advice devoid of judgment. This virtue will help you identify people you can ask for advice and when to do it. It is great to have a support system for all the gloomy days.
15. Responsibility – Fulfilling your duties and being capable of acceptance of the consequences of your actions is essential but largely lacking. Stop blaming yourself or someone else for something that had to happen. Accept it and keep performing your duties.
16. Kindness – This is perhaps the most important virtue of all. Being kind to yourself and others shows genuine concern and will help make the world a better place for you and everyone around you. It does not take large gestures, and people watching you will also be motivated to be kind to others.
17. Honesty – Honesty in your deeds and words helps foster meaningful, open, and trusting relationships. This will prevent you from quick, convenient escapes and empower you to resist temptation.
18. Respect – You must recognize the worth of every human around us. Respecting friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers help us live a dignified life and will make them treat us with respect as well. Respect yourself and your and others’ boundaries, and respect the nature around you to live in harmony with your surroundings.
19. Tolerance – Everyone is entitled to their opinions and ideologies, and they deserve to be respected and accepted as much as you. Be understanding and sympathetic.
20. Perseverance – Keep working towards the goal even if you fail one or more times. Be persistent and keep putting in your best efforts, and they will not fail to be fruitful someday. Take adversities as challenges and fight to overcome them.
21. Good judgment – Before making a decision, give it enough thought. Good judgment and decision-making skills come from experiences. Consider all aspects before making a judgment and reflect on the outcome to learn from the experience.
22. Gratitude – Being thankful is a great way of letting people know how much they and their gestures mean to you. Receiving help and support is an amazing thing and can help you in ways you never thought of, so be grateful for them and convey it to show appreciation.
23. Humility – As is said, humility is the greatest virtue. However rich or happy or well-established you might be, you will not receive enough respect and love if you are not humble. When receiving criticism, humility helps you understand what is actually being said instead of being instantly angry or defensive.
24. Obedience – Today, personal freedom is seen above obedience, but obedience to a higher authority holds society from crumbling apart. It is necessary to let go of your ego and obey laws and rules for a personal and larger benefit.
25. Patience – As they say, Rome was not built in a day. It takes a lot of effort and calm to keep working towards your goal before seeing results. Patience also helps you deal with situations calmly instead of getting angry or annoyed.
26. Leadership – Leadership is usually believed to be a natural talent, but the truth is, most leaders learn it when they are put into the position. Taking good decisions, tackling situations with patience, and refraining from cruel words will help you develop leadership skills.
27. Truthfulness – Being truthful in thoughts and deeds is important to build trusting, reliable relationships. Being reliable is great for developing healthy relationships at home, at work, and in society.
28. Moderation – Controlling your desires and focusing on fulfilling your needs instead of your wants can help keep you humble and do efficient economic management. It is important to consume everything, from food to social media, in moderation for overall well-being, requiring you to learn self-control.
29. Loyalty – Being loyal is one of the basic requirements of any relationship. It is as important to be loyal to your partner as it is to be a loyal friend who can be counted on. By being loyal, you hold up the virtues upheld by your family, friend circle, workplace, and religion.
30. Courtesy – Being courteous involves treating everyone with respect and politeness, irrespective of who they are and what they do. It is a way of showing your love and respect to all and enables you to think and value others before you speak to them, building a pleasant and respectful atmosphere.
31. Friendliness – Being friendly and approachable is a great way to develop a good circle around you. It will help you in all stages of life, for you will create friends who will be there for you, and you, in turn, will be there for them in all good and bad times.
32. Sincerity – Sincerity in actions and words helps develop a trusting aura around you. In general, people will see you as an honest and reliable person and will respect and appreciate your presence in their lives. Truly being yourself generates respect and self-worth.
33. Prayerfulness – Take out some time from your busy schedule and pray, meditate, or reflect on your actions and thoughts. You don’t need to be religious to obtain prayerfulness; cultivating self-awareness is another way of connecting to your soul, environment, and nature.
34. Greatness – Being great is something we all desire, but it is commonly misunderstood. Being truly great is having the confidence to do what you really want to do, no matter how difficult or unachievable it might seem. It means you need to step out of the shelter of your comfort zone and walk into the scorching heat of doing what needs to be done.
35. Docility – Being docile is having the willingness to learn. One can never run out of new things to learn, but you have to be willing to listen and accept them with open arms. It is okay if things are very new for you and you cannot come to terms with it; it is the effort you put into it that matters. Learning new things will help you expand your knowledge and boost your self-confidence.
36. Industriousness – Working hard and diligently towards achieving your professional and personal goals is something everyone serious about their aspirations must do. Simply planning or saying will yield no results if you don’t really put your maximum effort into it; hence, as the saying goes – no pain, no gain.
37. Foresight – Before you act, it is good to think of the possible outcomes and prepare ahead. That doesn’t mean that you spend your time overthinking or getting anxious. A little preparedness will be very useful to handle situations better.
38. Patriotism – Love for your country and its citizens is essential for being a good member of society. Paying respect to your country and being willing to serve when required inculcates a sense of belonging, love, and attachment with your homeland and teaches respect and honor to others around you.
39. Meekness – Real meekness possesses the strength to act sensibly and calmly instead of quickly resorting to anger and violence. It teaches you the calmness of spirit and makes you the true master of yourself.
40. Tact – It is a great accomplishment to carefully consider your and others’ situations before acting. A tactful person is sensitive, sensible, understanding, caring, and respectful.
These qualities may not be easy to add to your life quickly, but stay focused to work on the virtues you choose. They will help you strengthen your mind and soul, and most importantly, develop great relationships with yourself and everyone around you. Moreover, it would help if you remembered that your behavior towards others will always be reciprocated; hence, when you treat others with kindness and respect, expect to be treated so by them. These virtues will help you live a happy and successful life, personally as well as professionally.
