Seven Guiding Principles of Looking For the Good In Others

I was thinking today about a lesson I often teach when people ask me how to create better relationships in their life. It is a lesson I people really connect with, and I want to share it with you today. It is what I call  The Seven Guiding Principles of Looking For the Good in Others.

First, behave with others the way you want others to behave with you, or as you may have heard, The Golden Rule, treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want others to see the good in you, you must first begin by seeing the good in others. 

The second principle is to not speak badly about others, and not condone those you are with when they speak badly about others. Making fun of someone is easy, however it's terribly disrespectful. Those who ridicule others are showing their lack of confidence, and their need to put others down to build themselves up. Remember the old adage - if you don't have  something nice to say, don't say anything at all.   

The third principle, give of yourself. If you have the capacity to help others, do so. Great people show their greatness by the way they treat other people, especially those caught in a less fortunate situations. This teaches humility and understanding, two very strong foundations for the ability to see the good in other people. So if you’re in a position to help others, do so. Remember, you don't need money to help, giving of yourself is just as valueable.

The fourth principle, don’t be too quick to judge. Develop empathy and try to understand the behaviors in others. Analyze their actions and figure out why they do what they do. Understanding others will help you understand your own behavior more clearly. 

The fifth principle is to change the way you look at each day. The day turns out exactly the way you approach it. If you think it's bad, it's bad. If you think it's good, it's good. The same goes with people. Change the way you look at others. Concentrate on removing the negatives and focus on the positives.

Next, the sixth principle is the learn to forgive and forget. Focusing on vengenance or holding onto your anger is a waste of time and energy. Anger and revenge fule the fire of negativity, which will directly impact your ability to see the positives in situations.  

Last, but not least, is to try every day to look for the positives in other people. Don’t focus on the negatives. Focus on positives of other people and this will directly reflect on the way you look at your own self.

Have a wonderful day, and remember that you will find what you look for in others, and the world around you - it's your choice if that's positive or negative.