Session 12:
Your Character is Your Destiny
“The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.” ~~ Socrates
Our last session of year one. Unfortunately due to weather issues, 3 of our members were unable to attend.
We discussed our reflections on the first year by answering the following:
- How is your life different today than before you began the program?
- I have more confidence in myself
- I am more confident in my future
- I have become closer to family
Next up for discussion…
What are virtues?
- Virtue is the ultimate organizing principle. All of life is relationships. Two patient people will always have a better relationship than two impatient people.
- Virtues are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and act in ways that develop our potential to become the-best-version-of-ourselves.
- Our lives only genuinely improve when we grown in virtue.
Virtue… the ultimate positive habit
- What virtues are most important for you to grow in if you are to achieve your dreams?
- Compassion
- Diligence
- Fairness
- Fidelity
- Forgiveness
- Generosity
- Humility
- Justice
- Kindness
- Patience
- Prudence
- Self-Control
- What are your obstacles to virtue? (Activities, thought patterns, habits, people, or places)
- What virtue do you most admire? What virtue was most celebrated in your family growing up?
Your character is your destiny:
- What role does virtue play in your life? Select a virtue for discussion and share how working on that virtue could impact your character and your destiny. Use the following progression:
- Thoughts create actions
- Actions create habits
- Habits create character
- Your character is your destiny
We got the good news that we would be continuing on in the program for year 2. We would have 4 group meetings and do a lot of the work on our own. Kim will email us assignments throughout the year.
Then she gave us take-home assignments to get us started…
- What are three areas of your life, dreams, or habits that you would like to focus on in the next 12 months?
- What are ways in which you can grown in virtue? How can you practice, develop, and exercise virtue in your life?
- How can you ensure you stay connected and committed to living your dreams?
After our group session and the individual sessions, we had a “graduation” ceremony and luncheon. Our chef, Dale, made a lunch for us and presented a graduation speech. A long-time dream of his had been to give a graduation speech so he did.
Bob Hager (our company president) and Vickie Roby (Human Resources) also attended our luncheon. Bob was pleased with the way the program had progressed during the first year and was excited about starting it with a new group in 2014.
One of our group had fulfilled a dream of learning how to do wood burning. She had presented Kim a plaque during our December meeting. Kim had then commissioned a plaque for each member of the group as a present for completing the first year!
Here I am receiving my plaque from Bob and Vickie.
I had advance notice about the graduation speech so I bought each participant a “Class of 2013” visor which was also given out.
Here’s our group on graduation day.
Bev, Kim, Wendy, Dale, Jane, Becky, Rene’ and Bob. Dan, Fernando and Alex were missing due to work issues at their locations. We lost one participant earlier in the year when he left Miller’s.
It’s been a wonderful learning experience and has forced me to dig deep into learning about myself. I’ve also learned that it is NEVER TOO LATE TO DREAM!!!
Next up… Continuing Your Success Journey.
