A new commandmant
Not the usual
We have been socialized to think of honor as something bestowed as a privilege or gift. But we are going to add to the definition in our usual useful way. This honor was not included on those venerated slabs. This is self-honor. This is the second value we will add to this month’s discussion of the big stuff. Those dynamic values that make our lives worthy of considering in a different form. It may help you to really wonder if it is indeed a privilege to have a life. No one really knows but there is a ton of speculative language on how lucky humans are. Maybe. Maybe not. I have different opinions on different days. I certainly understand having challenges to help me discover later on what I gained from them but just the act of going through a rough patch is not appealing.
Reputation sponsor
We probably all like the thought of being held in great esteem by others. To be honored with the uplifted beliefs of those around us means that we have demonstrated values that they deem excellent. Our reputation gets little gold stars attached to it. But honoring ourselves is the much more advanced work. How many of us actually say that we deserve an honor? To say it out loud puts us into that group of humans who defy society’s humility level. We can’t all be contemplatives with lofty ideals so there are many more of us who should act in an honorable enough capacity to deserve the term. Making dinner for the family, joining friends for a bike ride, giving up a seat in a crowded train are all vaulted actions. They honored others. But we didn’t read far enough down in the definition of honor the first time to see where those came in. Don’t bother to look. They aren’t there. I checked.
Balance of Integrity
If there was more attention paid to being honorable, humans would dive right in. It is definitely attached, rightly so, to military personnel. But what about the doorman who holds the door endlessly, the teacher who stays after school to help a struggler or the guy at the grocery who lets you get into the line with more than ten items? They are honoring themselves. Their actions balance the world out. It is easy to find the less than honorable. Our eyeballs love to note when someone takes the last cup of coffee without making another pot. We always take self-notice when someone else gets a grand compliment out of the blue and we feel less-than whenever we can’t fulfill the needs or wants of someone we really cherish. Balance. It is there but only part of it is in living color.
So Honor
There is one thing to do now. It’s our month for big thoughts. Honor yourself first. Get used to it. Go overboard. Honor that cute outfit you would never have chosen by buying it and wear it with a smile. Honor yourself by levelling up every thought you can about yourself. It doesn’t have to be out loud but it should be as continuous as possible. Honor your journal by making a list of every wonderful thought you have about yourself. That’s a hard one. Honor yourself by showing others how to be a compassionate human. Bring honor as seamlessly as possible into your elevated life. It will drown out the other stuff. It’s supposed to. It gives you something to continuously live up to. It makes your skin glow. It is you as you were originally conceived. You never needed those tablets to tell you how to live. You always knew.
Next honor your family members. Do they seem worthy?
