As a follow on from my blog, 'The Golden Rule,' I wanted to outline more good practices that incorporate the Golden Rule philosophy:
- We all need empathy. Empathy allows us to understand and share the feelings of others;
- Compassion is something that we need more of. It allows us to touch and understand someone else’s pain, be sympathetic and show pity and concern for other people's suffering and misfortune;
- We may form opinions of people even if we don’t know them. It is important not to judge. Simply trying to understand is better;
- If you were to treat someone with kindness and respect you would hope to get kindness back. It's important to treat others in the same way you would treat yourself, or your family;
- There are some who will go out of their way to help others. We should all do more, particularly with the elderly;
- Listening is a skill that very of us few manage. We have lots to say and want to talk to get our views across; but often don’t listen to understand.
The Golden Rule applies to everything we do in our lives, from helping a blind man across the street to taking a meal round for an elderly relative who is housebound. I believe it is a lifestyle choice that everyone can tap into.
We may often live our lives without thinking of the bigger picture... the picture of why we’re here in the first place.
I have applied the Golden Rule in my life and have had good and bad results from the receivers, but my feeling is that it's not the intent of living by the Golden Rule.
My impression of living by the Golden Rule is to relieve oneself of any possible guilt in life and to have at least made an honest effort to make the world a better place.
If there is one thing I've figured out about human nature, it's that change can only come from within and to abandon any venture into the realm of changing another.
You're absolutely right Brian, we can change ourselves, but cannot change other people. That is something they will have to do for themselves. Thanks for posting.
We may not be able to change others but we can "rub off on them." You know, get the idea into their head, then it's up to them whether they want to change for the better.
I like to live by the golden rule. It makes me feel good even if the other people aren't affected by my acts of kindness, at least I know I've done what is right and treated others kindly.
In my profession I think it's important to have the kindness and empathy for others. You can tell if someone is in the profession for the money or because they really care and do what's best for their client. I'm in my profession to take care of others... and I get rewarded for my kindness by words of others, that they recognize I actually care.
You are absolutely right Lisa, as long as you know you have shown nothing but kindness, it doesn't really matter what others think, we are judged on ourselves; but not everyone even in your profession behaves in the same way.
My belief is that money should be secondary to job satisfaction and to what we all have to offer others. Thanks for posting.
This is a wonderful post. Have a happy new year. Junior
Thanks Junior. Hope you have a happy new year too. Thanks for posting.
I agree with Lisa, that's it's not as important to others the way they interpret our kindness, it's how we feel at the end of our day and I love your "rub off" affect.
In our own way we all have a golden rule to live by and if we can make this world a better place to live by helping someone, than I believe we have made our mark, or left it behind us.
I hear what you're saying Mike, but it's important that others see our acts of kindness. It would be no good us thinking we've left a kindness mark on the world if others don't see that of us whilst we're here.