Character
Building
First of all, you have to understand the
meaning of character. It is the total of traits and qualities that will define
a certain individual or group of people. It describes the ethical and moral
strength of the individual, as well as attributes and abilities that will
ultimately correspond to their life choices. Character defines the person and
his or her actions, with the possibility of these being positive on how to
become a better you. Character is closely related to integrity, which is
defined as consistent adherence to strict moral or ethical code. People who
have integrity can be defined as complete, unimpaired and sound. Integrity, as
a whole, can be defined as performing the right things for the right reasons,
regardless of the conditions and circumstances.
So Character
building is experiences
which teach you some of life's lessons; lessons like keep your word, pay
attention, don't run with sharp objects. Many character building experiences
hurt and may contain a "significant emotional experience". With a
little good luck, you will live through them and be a better person.
The characters buiding are divided into several sections such
as:
ü
Trustworthiness
Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be
reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing •
Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country
ü
Respect
Treat others with respect; follow
the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners,
not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten,
hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements
ü
Responsibility
Do what you are supposed to do •
Plan ahead • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use
self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the
consequences • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a
good example for others
ü
Fairness
Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be
open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame
others carelessly • Treat all people fairly
ü
Caring
Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express
gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
ü
Citizenship
Do your share to make your school and community better
• Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a
good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the
environment • Volunteer
If you want to build good character, you
have to select as set of principles and rules that you will abide by for the
rest of your life. The actions you take to follow these guidelines will
ultimately lead to a happy and contented life, which in turn, will reflect your
positivity and support toward creating a better world and environment for
everyone. You can effectively follow the ethics of a certain group or religion.
You can also develop your own ideals, based on your beliefs, experiences and personal
opinions.
And you can determine whether a
principle is effective for your personal growth and character if you find
meaning or a certain level of success in your actions. You should be able to
say that you are the person you are today, because of actions and choices you
made in the past. Try to assess and list down turning points in your life
wherein you had to make a major decision that led you to develop new abilities,
morals and virtues on how to become a better you.Consider how the choice you
made in the past turned you into a completely new person. If you feel regret or
would want to change things if you only could, then you may not find that
certain virtue helpful. However, if you realize that you have become stronger
because of a hard choice in the past, then you will find that the trait is
needed to complete your good character.
Then you can also find someone as a model.
Some individuals aim to become truly credible and build character like other
great successful people by trying to follow certain examples and lifestyles.
You can rely on a mentor or role model whom you can effectively relate to. This
figure may be a family member, an author or a leader in your neighborhood. Take
note that every person has strengths and weaknesses. When looking for a role
model, you should also remember some of the person’s own shortcomings. This
way, you can mold yourself to following the good examples and making sure that
you do not commit the same limitations and mistakes.
But you must remember one thing, and
this really important for your progress. The process of
building character might will take several of years. You should be more patient
when looking for personal changes, as some may also alter over time, depending
on other circumstances that occur in your life. There are plenty of reasons why
people will adjust their traits and personality, so you should just look on the
models, do what you've learned in any situation and keep aiming for the ultimate
goal of becoming truly a person of integrity.
Jolinda Amoreka
