AS THE NEW YEAR APPROACHES…
by Robert Boykin
This is the time of year when we make lists of things we want to change in our lives. Things such as losing weight, quitting smoking, reading more and/or better books, and (perhaps) drinking less alcohol.
We don’t accomplish our resolutions at times because many of the goals we set for ourselves are too ambitious. This is not to suggest that we should not strive to improve our conduct and character, but rather to say we ought to set goals that we are more likely to accomplish. When we fail to meet our goals, we end up feeling bad about ourselves and we return to the very behaviors that we vowed to stop.
An article I recently read suggests that ethical responsibilities we have to others, including our co-workers, family and friends, are called the five principles of ethical intelligence - ethical principles that apply in all of our professional and personal relationships. The principles are:
1. Do no harm
2. Make things better
3. Respect others
4. Be fair
5. Care
In that light, what often gets overlooked in discussions about ethics is the duty we have to ourselves. After all, the five principles concern how we treat everyone. If it is wrong to talk to a colleague disrespectfully, it is also wrong to talk to ourselves that way. Just as we should not harm others, we should refrain from harming ourselves. In other words, negative talk not only injures the person that it is directed toward, but it also injures the reputation of the messenger.
The message here is to Accentuate the Positive. We are more likely to achieve our New Year's resolutions by simply being kinder to ourselves. Once we commit to treating ourselves the way we’d like others to treat us, the other goals we seek might become a lot easier to reach.
So, in 2026, let’s vow to go a little bit easier on ourselves. We might be pleasantly surprised by what happens as a result. What do you think?
Be well and be safe.