Self-expression: Choose and contribute in ethically clear and competent ways

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There are many ways to express ourselves, but when it comes to moral resilience, two ways can be particularly helpful: developing ethical competence and speaking with clarity and confidence.

Ethical competence involves ethical embodiment, that is living the values that we espouse by making sure that what we hold to be true and sacred is reflected in our actions. It is about immersing ourselves in the “moral” world by cultivating a moral vocabulary, imagination, attitude, and coherent character, as well as a dynamic moral posture — being patient with, and open and flexible to others’ values, desires, hopes, and fears.

Speaking with clarity and confidence means giving voice to our concerns by bringing distressing issues to the attention of invested others. Rather than seeing moral distress as an end in itself, consider it an opening to a broader and more substantive conversation about the dynamics of the situation. Speaking with clarity and confidence also includes knowing when to excuse ourselves from a situation, system, or relationship, whether it be for a short time or else permanently because that situation could irreparably harm our conscience.

Meaning-making: Don’t demand it. Create it.

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Meaning-making is the process of how we perceive, interpret, and make sense of events in life, relationships, and ourselves. It gives us a way to organize memories and shape the narrative of an experience. Meaning also helps us to reconcile incongruities in our values, beliefs, and expectations and in our attitude toward life. This is especially important in times of moral adversity.

Senseless suffering is a big theme in moral resilience. We often think to ourselves, “Why am I continuing to do ‘this’ when nothing changes?” One way to create meaning is to consider alternatives that may not appear obvious or that you have previously rejected. Also, consider how this situation is asking you to grow. What new insights about yourself, others, and life have come to light?

A mistake often made when it comes to meaning-making is thinking it is a lesson to be learned or the “moral of the story.” Not so. Meaning-making is not trying to put a happy spin on pain, nor is it necessarily trying to teach us cautionary realities. Meaning-making simply helps us to broaden our thinking and feeling about a morally difficult situation and keeps us moving forward with integrity and principled action.

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Virtuous character

For many of us, the fundamental question of ethics is, “What should I do?” or “How should I act?” Ethics is supposed to provide us with “moral principles” or universal rules that tell us what to do.

Moral principles like these focus primarily on people’s actions and doings. We “apply” them by asking what these principles require of us in particular circumstances, e.g., when considering whether to lie or to commit suicide.

But are moral principles all that ethics consists of? Critics have rightly claimed that this emphasis on moral principles smacks of a thoughtless and slavish worship of rules, as if the moral life was a matter of scrupulously checking our every action against a table of do’s and don’ts. Fortunately, this obsession with principles and rules has been recently challenged by several ethicists who argue that the emphasis on principles ignores a fundamental component of ethics–virtue. These ethicists point our that by focusing on what people should do or how people should act, the “moral principles approach” neglects the more important issue–what people should be. In other words, the fundamental question of ethics is not “What should I do?” but “What kind of person should I be?” According to “virtue ethics”, there are certain ideals, such as excellence or dedication to the common good, toward which we should strive and which allow the full development of our humanity. These ideals are discovered through thoughtful reflection on what we as human beings have the potential to become.

“Virtues” are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues.

How does a person develop virtues? Virtues are developed through learning and through practice. As the ancient philosopher Aristotle suggested, a person can improve his or her character by practicing self-discipline, while a good character can be corrupted by repeated self-indulgence.

Virtues are habits. That is, once they are acquired, they become characteristic of a person.

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The gentle way to fuck off

If you know yourself very well & know exactly what makes you what you are, then it will be easier for you to stand by your actions. You will then worry less about what others think of you because you are determined to take full responsibility for your actions, proactively.

Proactive here means that you act according to your values and ideas. Reactive means that you are guided by the social conventions and opinions of others. Therefore, when developing your personality, place a strong focus on your self-esteem and self-confidence.

A proactive lifestyle is neither antisocial nor selfish. Because if you use your full potential, you can still give back the most to society.

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Isaac Newton’s clockwork universe theory, applied to your life goals

A theist is the opposite of an atheist. Theists believe in the existence of a god or gods. Like a theist, a deist believes in God. But a deist believes that while God created the universe, natural laws determine how the universe plays out.

Deists are often connected to Isaac Newton’s clockwork universe theory, which compares the universe to a clock that has been wound up and set in motion by God but is governed by the laws of science.

No matter what your religious stand is otherwise, it helps to borrow the concept of Isaac Newton’s clockwork universe theory, when it comes to your journey to reach your goals.

When you work on your long term goals, 1 year goals or 90 days goals or this months goals, you got to wind up the clocks and set them in motion.

And, the laws of science are the set of your “principles” and “values”.

This is so true in respect of the goals that you chase in given point of time.

But, with a small (or big?) twist.

Your goals too can change based on what you “value” in life. Your values may change as you discover new things about you and environment.

Yet, the rest of the mechanics of clockwork works.