Virtues – Be Admired – Live A Good Life

Virtues are the hidden strengths we have in life. To describe someone with virtue is someone with strengths, who is good and excellent. Something to be admired. We all have some, just we may not see them as such or recognize the power they have or we have in so having them.

So, what are they?

On other pages I have talked about talents. I have talked about values. Both are of much use in our life, yet we may not have realized the fact or used such different terms or words to describe them. Virtues come into this category, too.

Maybe a virtue is a long forgotten term, but it has its own strength and presence. To say someone is of good virtue means that they are generally a good, honorable, giving type of person.

They may be

• generous of themselves or their time, as well as generous of their possessions or money
• or exhibit innate goodness, good to be around, of open heart and friendly
• honest and exhibit an openness in their affairs; they can be trusted
• and exhibit a certain grace, which comes from their being in harmony with their life and the life they lead
• honorable, and treat others fairly in word or deed, and also look after themselves in the same manner
• courageous and show valor, not in winning a fight, but in their daily actions
• striving for excellence, and their honest to life approach allows them to achieve this

Something for me to emulate then?

Certainly. To be a person of good virtue does mean living a good life. Giving as well as taking. Sharing as well as using. Looking out for others as well as looking after themselves. Trying to act for the common good rather than just for selfish reasons. That all sounds a bit nebulous to me

And so it may. Yet, is it not our right to live a good and wholesome life. A life where

• we help others as well as supporting ourselves
• we participate as well as take part
• we share as well as act
• we contribute as well as belong

A life full of riches, yet one which may or may not have that much worldly wealth.

For life has its own rewards. Its own rewards for those who travel life's paths helping and assisting, improving and developing, offering assistance as well as teaching, a life full of joy and satisfaction.

Oh that sounds 'a bit wooly' to me

May be so. But looking after ourselves and others gives us access to life's richness. Gives us power, and the ability to tap into life's powers. Living a just and principled life enables us to tackle many situations with flexibility, with assurance, with success.

It gives us confidence. We can live a motivated achieving life. We can utilize our esteem and good self image to accomplish much. We can behave thoughtfully caring for others as well as ourselves. There is a certain quality to life that gives a rich and fulfilling experience. Life is good. Life is exciting. Each day brings new experiences and new challenges. But using our talents we meet those challenges and meet them well.

The direction we take in our life is supported and motivated by our value system. Our values and principles give us the grounding, the foundation to feel content, to feel well planted and secure in our life. We are comfortable in our own skin. And this shows in our actions and deeds.

Live a life of virtue

People who live a life of virtue are not saints. They make mistakes like the rest of us. However, they do care for themselves and care for others. Their moral code is to be respected. They are principled people who lead worthy lives. They can make a difference, if only because they try.

Their power, their presence, their honesty is there upfront for all to see. It is not like they take the high ground and a very moral stance. No. But they do the right thing, most of the time. And that is what they try to do. And life rewards noble attempts. As it rewards our good efforts in life - though we don't often look at things in those terms, do we?

Is that a life full of intellectual virtues?

I would say not. My take on this would be that we should live a life based in the real world. We can theorize and intellectualize about anything and everything. And I have done or tried to do enough of that in my time. Frankly, I personally am not an intellectual, or at least do not feel I am. I have a basic and simple approach to life. And I do not understand some of the high brow arguments about life. But I feel I get by and feel privileged with the life I have. And we all can in our own way. One of the secrets of life is to find our way. (That is worth devoting some time and effort to.)

But if you enjoy theorizing or intellectualizing that's fine. The world is full of different things, different people, different approaches to life. No problems, I say. Tackle life as best you can with the wherewithal you have been given. Do so and be honest to yourself and you will make progress. It is when we go against ourselves and the way we feel that we lose our harmony and synchronization with our life. And for each of us that is one of the most important things.

Tackle life in your own way and be your own success story.

Is there a place for me?

Yes, certainly yes. And why not? Do we not want to be

• honest
• generous
• honorable
• principled
• worthy

Are those a point too far?

I do not think so.

A good goal is to live a virtuous life. Not just to be of moral virtue but to live a good life.

• To strive to help others as well as ourselves
• To utilize life's good graces in our interaction with life, and with ourselves and others
• To be fair and just in our dealings with others
• To treat others as we would ourselves like to be treated
• To share our qualities with others
• To respect others and ourselves to be respected
• To make the most of our time, but to remember to give back to life and others as much as we take, if not more so

Make a habit of being true to yourself and you will be true by and for others. And your life will be full of joy, satisfaction and happiness.