We're living in a world with very little attempt to align cultural values embedded within behaviors like "cleaning up your own mess".We're raised in a culture where our behaviors are taught to us using a system of punishment and reward. You can either do it and get a reward or don't do it and get punished. Moreover, we're taught to focus our attention to judge who is good, who is bad, who is wrong. Or what is an appropriate or inappropriate behavior. If you don't express your regrets, you may be tagged to be bad or wrong.Are these alignments really essential?
We're usually taught to do the good things when we're little boys and girls. If we don't, we'll tend to be punished and told that we're bad and wrong. What we learned in kindergarten and what the methods teachers use to teach them always tend to be in very predictable ways. Even as adults, even if someone doesn't share, play fair or put things away, the first thing we think of is inflicting the appropriate consequences.
Moreover, they maybe judged for not being a good friend, neighbor, brother or daughter. They may even be alienated from their community or family if they don't follow the rules.
However, instead of playing out the habitual cultural reactions, you can choose to align your thinking and actions with your personal values. If you respond to a situation in a way you're taking actions because those actions are part of who you're and not motivated by an attempt to avoid consequences yourself or to impose them on others.
To behave in your own way, the following five steps can be followed for you to enter in a situations which is not to your liking:
1. Turn your attention away from right and wrong thinking.
2. Think about the values that maybe motivating other people's actions.
3. Look inside yourself to discover your personal values.
4. Investigate whether your actions are in harmony with your inner heart.
5. Recognize how your actions can enrich your life and the life of others.
Comment