COMMENTARY: What I Believe

Here’s a portion of my personal list of beliefs that you may want to pass on:

  • I believe I’m a work-in-progress, and there will always be a gap between who I am and who I want to be.
  • I believe every day brings opportunities to learn and do something meaningful.
  • I believe the true test of my character is whether I do the right thing even when it might cost more than I want to pay.
  • I believe no matter how I behave, some people will be mean-spirited, dishonest, irresponsible, and unkind, but if I fight fire with fire, all I’ll end up with will be the ashes of my own integrity.
  • I believe life is full of joys and sorrows, and my happiness will depend on how well I handle each.
  • I believe pain is inevitable but suffering is optional, and if I can control my attitudes, I can control my life.
  • I believe kindness really matters, and sarcastic comments and badly-timed criticisms can cause lasting hurt.
  • I believe there’s joy in gratitude and freedom in forgiveness, but both require conscientious effort.
  • I believe what’s fun and pleasurable isn’t always good for me, and what’s good for me isn’t always fun and pleasurable.
  • I believe no one’s happy all the time, but in the end, I can be as happy as I’m willing to be.
  • I believe the surest road to happiness is good relationships.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.