CHARACTER NOT POPULARITY

It has been said that personality is what others see in us and character is what we really are. If this is true then life's joys and sorrows, what I do and how I do it, will largely be a result of whether I view mortality as a perpetual popularity contest or a time for establishing eternal character.

Many never discover that being shackled by the constant burden of trying to meet the expectations of others more often than not results in increases of frustration and stress. Likewise, there are few who discover that staying within the arena of freely exploring and developing the very best "self" possible results in increases of joy and harmony in ones life. If we were wise we would worry far less about being photogenic and far more about putting on a countenance which reflects the inward warmth and compassion of our character. There is no doubt that our reputation among men will be written in the sands of time soon to be washed away, but we must never forget that our character will be witnessed and heralded by angels before the throne of God and become a part of our eternalness.

Character can be developed through practicing consistent, thoughtful, proper use of agency just as physical strength can be gained through consistent, proper use of exercise equipment. We will find that the hardest part of developing our character, just as it is in the beginning of any exercise program lies in our willingness to take that essential first step. We must have enough faith in what we can become as the offspring of Heavenly Parents that we will be emboldened with enough courage to step away from the popularity parade, step out of the game of charades we are playing, remove the societal masks we have been wearing and be willing to allow our friends and more importantly ourselves to view us as we really are.

Since 'way too many of us have lived our lives playing a part which either diminishes or aggrandizes us to the level we believe to be the expectation of the group we are running with, it will probably take a quantum effort to make the first step in our journey to return to the center of ourselves. The difficulty of this initial journey will depend a great deal on how far we have traveled away from our core. The time it will take for us to make this first leg of our journey will depend on how soon we are able to tear down the facade we have been living behind and how completely we can become open and honest with our "true selves". Our ability to reach our appointed destination with the beginning characteristics of eternal attributes will be hampered or aided by our ability to determinedly step away from the personality contest and enter the highway of life which leads to Eternal Joy.

It will be an amazing discovery to find that once this first gargantuan leap in the process of character building has been taken how rapidly subsequent steps will simply become a matter of practice and being patient.

We will enter a world of discovering everlasting characteristics and become imbued with an overwhelming desire to inculcate them into our lives.

We will find ourselves growing in the ability to prudently prioritize our words, our thoughts and our actions so that they become aligned with those of eternal rather than temporary expectations.

We will become free from the shackles of living beneath the gaze of others; which can easily be cast off with the aid of an honest discovery of who we really are and have the potential of becoming.

We will find the task of developing inner-personal skills becomes easier with each passing day of patient persistent practice.

We will find ourselves no longer hindered by our mortal short sightedness, but our horizons will be stretched as we walk this perpetual path of self-enhancement.

Just as we find encouraging sayings decorating the walls of rooms dedicated to the development of physical strengths, it might be well to put up a few reminders around us to brighten our way when the path which we have chosen seems to have become somewhat perilous.

We are the offspring of Deity.
We are children of Heavenly Parentage.
We have been tutored for countless years in our premortal state by Celestial Beings.
At our center exists a being of extreme pureness – goodness – and loveliness.
When we find our center we will find the person we truly wish to become.
Finding our center will give us a desire to be true to the Royal within.
At our center we will find the person we truly are.
      An offspring of Deity.
      A child of Heavenly Parents.