Virtue garden another tool to use

Hey Steemit world this is something I want to share with you. Another tool for you to use.
I believe you change the world by changing yourself. Here’s something I’m working with right now. Replace your negativity, your vices with virtues. They will serve you better. What do you want to be? Do you want to bring more happiness, healing, love, freedom, truth, joy, playfulness, beauty, light, or something else into this world? I want to bring those things and more. Virtues make these things come naturally. We can bring it about in our own way. Having these virtues actually makes you closer to source or god or whatever you want to call it. If that’s too out there for you, it will make you feel really good and the people around you will feel that too. What you do to yourself influences those around you and close to you. Both negative (low frequency) and positive (higher frequency). It’s a process and a practice not something you snap your fingers and change. We are very complicated, amazing creators. You will be tested when you put your intention to this practice.

The most influential and benevolent people of all time have focused and processed a lot of these virtues. They are often found with quotes about them. Yogis, writers, philosophers, inventors, athletes, and many others.

There a lists online a virtue and I suggest you look at them. www.virtuescience.com I have been picking one and trying to practice it that day. Look at the vice list if you want to as well. (There’s more virtues then vices)
There are some virtues that I believe should be cornerstones or ones that you need more then others on a everyday basis. I will go over one today share some quotes and explain what they mean to me.
Fortitude is one I will focus on today.

Fortitude-strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage.

Photo credit http://www.brianmicklethwait.com/

“Fortitude is the marshal of though, the armour of the will, and the fort of reason.” Francis Bacon
Knowing and standing in your power against all resistance. Remaining still in the storm like a mountain be battered by a vicious storm. Pushing through the doubts, fears, distractions towards your truth. Your mind is yours alone and it should be a source of strength.
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Some thing you can do to build fortitude. Meditate, watch your thoughts, what you tell yourself. Criticism can be healthy but obsessing and beating yourself up is not healthy. We all beat ourselves up over what we should of done but that is not helpful. Make your criticisms in your head one sentence followed by what you could of done better. Then focus on all you did right. Do this until you don’t have them anymore and don’t need this exercise. You could do this or be in the now totally. I find that hard to do for people interested in creating and improving the world. Being in the now can be done, do the things you love and stop thinking just be. Watch the music you listen to, what are they saying to you? Hang out with people who are trying to be better people as well. Talk about this kind of stuff with those willing to hear. Create a journal log your progress(check out my post from before link below). Put your intention and attention on it. Allow it in your life and see what comes from it. You will literally have limitless opportunities to practice this virtue and all the virtues in your day to day life. Eating healthy and consciously. (being aware of what it took to make this food, what was the sacrifice, the love put into the meal) The fluids you put in your body. The products you buy are they healthy for me. (check the chemical list on them) Fortitude ties right into your freewill and your choices. The people you hang out with, are they your friends because they care about you or just to use your resources? Your job as well, does it serve me, is it helping the planet, community, etc. Am I at this job because of fear or doubt in my ability to make money? Is scarcity causing my decisions. It is not the easiest thing to do but it is something that will serve you for the rest of your life. It will help you fly and be free.

Photo credit http://www.shainblumphoto.com/shainblum20140920img_6754-edit-copy-2/

“People should remain unaffected by what others may say. A true man is one who overcomes the ups and downs of life with fortitude. One should not recoil before reverses of fortunes. One should bravely face them and overcome them.” Sri Sathyan Sai Baba

So what does the opposite of fortitude look like. It could look like a lot of things. Some examples are weakness, sloth, jealousy, vanity, anger, doubt, cowardice, arrogance, envy, impatience, wrath, doubt and more. Not exactly the best things. If you act in a negative and reactive way without thinking you should consider working on your fortitude. Watch yourself throughout the day. Ask yourself why did I react that way to that person? Is that guy who cut me off what I am really upset about?

My friend gave me this metaphor of gardening and pulling out the weeds the vices and replacing seeds of virtues. That is what I hope to do for myself and inspire for others. With these virtues once you get one, the others come naturally. It always helps to focus on a certain one of course. Gratitude is another virtue I will cover soon. It is another very important virtue. I believe these virtues help you become a truly sovereign, free, human being.

Photo credit http://www.rivendellvillage.org/permaculture.htm

https://steemit.com/life/@maloneyj55/one-tool-i-use-everyday (Journal link)
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