There are many ways to live life. Some people focus on the principles they want to follow. They then aim to follow these during both positive and problematic times.
Such people feel at peace following this path. They have a core compass they can keep returning to when making decisions. They then aim to do their best during their time on the planet. Let’s explore this approach.
Principles
What are the principles you want to follow in your life? How can you translate these into action in your daily life? What may be the pluses and potential minuses of following these principles? How can you build on the pluses and manage any minuses?
Different people obviously have different principles. Here are some of the things that people write when exploring these themes.
“I want to encourage people in my life and work … I want to continue to have a sense of gratitude … I want to care for my loved ones … I want to create enriching environments in which people grow.
“I want to use my strengths to help people to succeed … I want to build pioneering things that show people a better way … I want to pass on knowledge that people can use to shape a positive future.
“I want to make full use of the talents I have been given … I want to do my best during my time on the planet … I want to give people positive memories for life … I want to die feeling at peace.”
How to clarify your own principles? One approach is to start by brainstorming and then settling on, for example, the three principles you want to follow in your life.
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to clarify the principles you would like to try to follow. If possible try to give examples of how you could translate these into action.
Positive Times
Imagine that you have clarified the principles you want to follow. The classic approach is then to focus on how you can follow these during difficult times. This is something that we will explore later.
Before then, however, it can be useful to clarify how you can follow your principles during positive times. These could include encouraging people, reaching specific goals or building on successes.
Why take this approach? Sometimes people can forget to keep doing the things that resulted in them feeling positive. It can be useful to keep building on what worked plus maybe adding other skills.
One approach is to recall a time when you followed your principles and these helped to produce a positive outcome. What were the principles you followed then? How did you translate these into action? What were the benefits for yourself and other people?
Imagine you have clarified the way you followed some of your principles. Bearing these in mind, it can be useful to focus on possible events in the future.
Looking ahead, can you think of a positive experience that you may encounter in the future? You may encourage a person, do a creative project, get a success or do an activity that produces positive results for you or other people.
Imagine you have highlighted such an experience. How can you then follow and build on your principles? What may be the benefits for you or other people?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Problematic Times
People often gain strength from following their principles during problematic times. They may have experienced a loss, had a setback or be facing a daunting challenge.
One person who was embarking on a course of medical treatment described how following their principles gave them strength during this time. Here is a summary of what they said.
“My initial reaction to the diagnosis was one of shock, but then I began to plan ahead. The potential outcomes of the treatment where unknown, but I followed the old sporting cliché of focusing on what I could control.
“This meant organising my life around the treatment, but I also did things that gave me positive energy. I followed a daily routine of walking with my dog, encouraging my loved ones and continuing to work as a counsellor.
“Taking these steps involved following some of my principles regarding wellbeing. They also boosted my strength to manage the daily treatment.”
Let’s return to your own life. Looking ahead, can you think of a potentially problematic time that you may encounter in the future? This could be in your personal or professional life.
Imagine that you have clarified your principles. How could you try to follow these in the specific challenging situation? What may be the pluses and minuses of taking these steps? How could you build on the pluses and manage the potential minuses?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Peace
People who follow their principles are sometimes more likely to experience a sense of peace. This is a theme that comes up in mentoring sessions.
Sometimes I invite a person to imagine that they are looking back on their life in future years. What do they want to have done by then that will mean they feel their life has been successful?
Many people give the answers you would expect. They want to have built a happy family, encouraged other people and made a positive contribution during their time on the planet.
Some also mention a theme that is highlighted when interviewed people who are nearing the end of their lives. When asked about what they had tried to do in their lives, they said something along the following lines.
“I tried to be true to myself. Sometimes this was hard, but I am happy that I always tried to do what I believed in.”
Imagine that you want to continue to follow your principles. Taking this approach can bring pluses and minuses. But it can also increase the chances of sometimes experiencing a sense of peace.
How can you follow this approach in your own way? What do you think may happen as a result? How can you build on the pluses and manage the consequences of any minuses?
If you wish, try tackling the final exercise on this theme. This invites you to clarify how you can continue to follow your principles and maybe sometimes experience a sense of peace.
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