The benefit of this work is for those of us who have people-centered values.
Our values are people-centered because they center on the importance we feel for other people. We feel humility around others; we prefer to stay out of the spotlight and stand back from notice. We feel a deep need to put others before ourselves; we place greater importance on our love for family and friends, and we seek to satisfy our deep need to form meaningful relationships. We feel a need to honor our strong spiritual convictions; we seek the good that exists in life and to spread this truth to others. The only thing we expect in return is the immense satisfaction we feel deep inside when we see the ones we love happy and at peace. We experience a deep warmth within that no other feeling can compare to.
As a consequence, we desire to live by a good personal standard of behavior to better enable ourselves to honor our values. We desire three humble wishes: to enjoy our relationships with others, to feel comfortable in our own skin, and to be at peace as we move our lives forward.
However, despite giving much of ourselves in trying to enjoy our relationships with others, we often feel disappointed by others' actions. Despite enduring much hurt and pain in order to feel comfortable in our own skin, we struggle with low self-esteem. And despite making a great effort to gain the peace that comes from moving our lives forward, we find it very difficult to do what we need and want to do.
We have simply fallen victim to society's false messages that we can have perfect relationships, make ourselves perfect, and that all we have to do is make a perfect effort. We have been confused about what is essential to our values. We must understand that honoring our people-centered values means remembering what we truly desire. Happiness, self-fulfillment, and peace of mind are found by fully embracing our warm values and not allowing ourselves to be distracted by looking elsewhere.
Therefore, the answer to enjoying our relationships is to stop expecting perfect actions from others and to focus on our own personal growth. Then we will experience the wonderful benefit of not only enjoying our relationships but also forming more loving bonds.
The answer to feeling comfortable in our own skin is to stop trying to make up a perfect image and to follow our own personal principles. Then we will learn who we truly are and where our true and peaceful place is.
The answer to gaining the peace of moving our lives forward is to stop trying to make a perfect effort and to forgive ourselves for being imperfect. Then we will feel relief from our anxiety, the joy of living for today, and the passion for personal growth. We will discover that the true meaning of life is the opportunity to grow until our death. Then we gain a sense of purpose in a higher cause that gives us something to strive for and a reason to persevere; it gives our lives meaning and direction.
Each day, we will continue to shape good character and increase our personal understanding of who we are. We will grow into mature individuals who speak and act in ways we respect. We will acquire personal wisdom and develop the habit of putting it to good use as we attempt to follow the ideal set by our Creator's example.
