Be the Best Person You Can Be - Not Easy!

So my recent forays onto a variety of social media platforms has led me to make the following observations which I offer to you.

We should all aim to be the best person we can be – not as easy as it sounds.

This:

IS treating everyone exactly the same irrespective of immutable characteristics like race, skin colour; sex etc

IS looking at each situation on its merits; not from a judgemental starting-point. Not easy but much easier if you recognise the importance of it.

IS empathising – which doesn’t mean having to agree

IS treating others fairly – which again doesn’t mean having to agree but does mean hearing them out &/or giving them a fair chance

IS allowing people to be themselves as long as they are polite. Disagreeing with you does not make them a stupid, rude or a bad person!

IS helping people when you reasonably can as long as your ‘help’ will genuinely make things better and isn’t going to make things worse down the line

IS being prepared to admit you were wrong 

IS allowing someone to make a mistake without insisting on the harshest punishment

IS being prepared to acknowledge when someone makes a good point

IS allowing people to say things that you disagree with (and even really dislike) without abusing or trying to silence them; debate them!

IS seeking out conversation, dialogue & debate in a calm & fair-minded way and not retreating into a 'safe bubble' of confirmation bias

IS being prepared to alter your view after reflection. It is NOT weakness to change or alter your view, quite the reverse

This:

IS NOT thinking that you are better/more moral/more deserving than others

IS NOT refusing to engage with people who disagree, as long as they are polite and using reasonable language

IS NOT being afraid to say when you disagree as long as you do so politely & calmly

IS NOT trying to silence people who disagree with made-up accusations, like ‘xxx-ist’ or ‘xxx-phobe’, when they simply disagree with you

IS NOT resorting to physical or verbal violence to get your own way

IS NOT saying what someone else wants you to say just to ‘appear’ nice or because it’s the easy option

IS NOT feeling the need to tell everyone what a good, worthy & moral person you are; looking for affirmation & pats on the back.  

Only those with low self-esteem need this. 

Just BE that person without the ‘look at me’ element; it’s called leading by example. Words & gestures are cheap & easy, as well as being ultimately self-regarding.

IS NOT fixing your societal & political view between the ages of 14 & 21 and refusing to even consider exploring them after that

IS NOT saying or doing things that you know deep down are wrong for purely tribal/political reasons

IS NOT assuming that anyone who disagrees with you is either stupid or evil

IS NOT assuming bad-faith in people who don’t see things the way you do

IS NOT blaming others if your life isn’t turning out as well as you hoped

IS NOT saying ‘I’ve got a problem, what is someone else going to do about it.’

IS NOT trying to deflect from the shame of your own failings by spending your time searching for failings and pointing fingers at others