Be the beauty that is in a flower
What you expect others to be, you be first.
Practice these suggestions.
Take one quality at a time and work at developing it.
From today, for instance, practice peace.
Then take cheerfulness; try to smile even when you are unhappy.
Then work at cultivating courage and fearlessness.
Some persons are terrified of the dark.
If you are one of these, practice going into dark room until you get over this fear.
Develop the consciousness that God is with you.
You can be in impregnable castle and still disease can get you there.
Yet you can be on the battlefield with bullets flying all round you, and your time to leave the body has not come, nothing will hurt you.
Practice perfecting sincerity, unselfishness, business ability, and so on. Work at it like the strong- minded martyr who never compromises his ideals.
No matter what comes, do not let it bother or deter you.
Be like that.
Practice consideration and goodness until you are like a beautiful flower that everyone loves to see.
Be the beauty that is in a flower, and the attractiveness that is in a pure mind.
When you are attractive in that way, you will always have true friends.
You will be loved by man and God.
~ Paramahansa Yogananda.