April 2022

The best way to improve your life is by self-control. Self-control is the self-management of your faculties and talents towards a desirable goal to make your life better. By governing your behavior, you can improve relationships and facilitate respect. It is the small things that are said and done that can spoil relationships. The comments and behaviors that spoil relationships are often detected when it is assumed that others are not really paying attention. Individuals can reason what you are saying, and how it is presented can insult their character. These seemingly cloaked statements (which are thought that others do not realize) reveal your hidden perspectives and agendas and have others wondering and perceiving that your actions, words, and persona are in conflict, pretending, or are hypocritical. Being rude, crude, and debasing even in a joking manner does not foster positive relationships. Constructive criticism is delivered in a manner to improve the circumstances and the character of the individual. Good and meaningful friendships are significant in various circumstances and situations. When you need a friend, who can you turn to? Be mindful of those moments when you need to adjust your behavior. Speak not to debilitate or to debase an individual trying to find their way in life. See how you can help. Self-governance also includes knowing when you are to address individuals who want to misuse you. Be aware of those who behave in a manner to take advantage of your well-meaning nature and kindness. Self-governance means facing your adversarial circumstances with courage and conviction. It requires facing your internal conflicts, unregulated emotions, your human weaknesses, and your mental dispositions to advocate your position in an appropriate and positive manner. The essential control needed must be over the lower ego, which is often too hot or too cold, too hard, or too soft; having too much of a sense of being a superior persona, or perceiving yourself as too inferior to be effective. Self-governance is also an aspect of temperance, which requires directing your desires and activities in a positive direction and not allowing yourself to engage in your addictive lower self-desires. Unbecoming attributes do not produce positive results. A lack of temperance can be detrimental to all the positive things which have been accomplished previously. Do not lose out and fail, as many have, due to hidden desires that you do not want to be revealed. Replace lower desires with higher aspirations. Read the 123rd Psalm, and be sincere in making needed changes.