LIFE AND WORK: FOLLOWING OUR OWN MORAL COMPASS.

CHOOSE WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE AND WHAT YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE.

Something that I’ve heard quite a few times already, is life and work should be separate.?

Mostly, I was influenced by the people that I know personally and people I've encountered at work.

Work is our public self, Personal life is ... private, intimate.

Where your personal life is different, your emotional self isn’t relevant in your professional self.

Personal is emotional ; Professional is analytical.

This makes a recipe for chaos and lack of clarity since people have decided to conceal their own struggle to fit the world they are trying to please.

They start to show up with different faces which "fits" the occasion, or what they want to be known for.

They are sacrificing some side of them by deliberately hiding, to achieve a persona they are trying to be known for. Well, firstly, life is indeed a life of trade, that’s usually how it goes.

However, we all have a choice on how we want to influence the people we care for.

I like to think of sacrifice as making a trade of something with such great importance to us for us to achieve a different level of standard and a step up to growth.

I used to believe in that perspective too.

HOWEVER …

There's something that I’ve noticed is easier — practice mindful being instead.

Be mindful and present in the moment.?Really understanding the people around you, the context, and how it is relevant to you -- on a wholistic sense.

!!! Here is my little trick: Imagine yourself inside the context of what is being shared.

Are you growing personally and professionally?

Is your core values being compromised, strengthened or weakened?

I would advocate that the ideal growth of a person is not just one way.

Not even on a materialistic way, and not just on a professional-corporate ladder kind, and not based on the family we get to build (or how many children we managed to raise)

Ideal growth, is strengthening your core values and belief to help you aid and navigate through life.

And life doesn't just go around one aspect of your life, nor revolves around a static group of people.

It is changing, it is revolving, it is evolving.

If you are the attachment type, you got to learn how to detach yourself from certain people and places. Life is always changing, and I think that is the beauty of it.

We all have the option and opportunity to do better, to be better.

So, knowing our own values and standing firm on our belief will be a tremendous advantage for us to make healthier choices and better decisions, not just once or at the moment.

but the ability to make better choices all throughout life, from here-on-forward.

Better isn't equivalent to being a snob.

Being a better person, employee or a leader means you don't limit yourself when it comes to sharing.

Some people are hoarding informations and learnings, others are mindlessly providing irrelevant and spammy content. When what should be done is never stop, providing valuable content.

Content that makes us think.

Those content that make us realize things.

When you start to limit yourself, hide and curate how you want to be seen. This act of concealment becomes exhausting eventually. I used to like to hide a lot too, and it was extremely tiring.

Recently, I realized, people are so focused on building something for themselves, but to build something is to share it. Hence, as I am building and actively participating on my own personal development, I figured I get to share it with everyone too.

Knowledge is worthless if not shared to people.

So, if there's one person that gets to feel inspired by these articles, great!

My writing has done its part.

Outside of writing content online, I get to practice how to collaborate and be presently active with the team that I am in.

Doing, learning and physically present yet still having the energy to go above & beyond on my own other creative pursuit.?

Truly, the best life lived is when you start to have fun with it as if it is a play.?

I really do advocate for people to look at the lens of positivity and of great innovative change, rather than claiming the glories of the past, people should be looking forward to what can go right, rather than what went wrong...

but then again, each of us have different opinions and realities.

LIFE AS A PLAY AND WHY WE NEED TO BRING OUT AND PRACTICE, 'AUTHENTICITY'

Every time I feel a little stressed out (rarely happen nowadays), I switch my thinking to … “Life is a play. I’m here to learn, not out of obligation.”?

It helps me to stay grounded, and not feel overwhelmed when others expect me that I should be.

Everything we get to do starts to be more fun, meaningful and fulfilling and every connection that you get to build, is equally enjoyable.

I personally suggest to build on these core values if you want to deliberately practice and show your own authenticity:

• HUMILITY & COMMAND - Too much humility is timid, too much command can be overwhelming. A combination of Humility and Command will enable you to become relatable to people, which, can also be called as ‘Charisma’.
• COMMUNICATION - This is your speaking skills, assertiveness, and ability to tap in a room. I noticed I have a knack for seeing non-verbal queues, so I put high importance on that rather than the words said. I have also learnt that people's means of communicating (whether speaking, drawing or writing) is a direct reflection of the quality of their thinking about a certain topic.
• PERSONA - Now, this one refers to your overall appearance, and people’s perception of you. Do you come off as a snob? Interesting? Intelligent? Great when it comes to talking?

Remember: You can have all the charisma, you can be great at communicating, you can even have an outstanding reputation.

But the success of it all will be entirely dependent on this one core values … that is

• COURAGE - This is your will to follow, your willingness to confront all adversity, discomfort and danger to pursue a mission, growth, belief or purpose.

These values are innate, you cannot pull your confidence and strengths to someone or something else.

It should be pulled out of your own MORAL COMPASS.?

DON’T BLINDLY FOLLOW A PATH, FOLLOW YOUR OWN MORAL COMPASS

Following our own moral compass will lead you a life with a sense of integrity and authenticity.?

Your moral compass is the foundation of your own core values, which is a reflection of the relationship you have with yourself.

A strong moral compass enables other people to be a great influencer ... a strong leader.

Which is an essential trait to gain and build confidence on ourselves and on what we do.?

Authenticity doesn’t boast, isn’t loud, and flashy. It is real, unique and self-motivating.?

When people start to live in their authenticity, integrity, and own moral compass (of what is right and just, rather than what feels easy and good)?

We start to build better habits, choices and life paths that are are helpful, ethical and fulfilling for us.?

SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE YOU LEARN!?

People are all learning how to overcome life struggles and life difficulties. It becomes our ethical responsibility to help people overcome their life struggle by giving our support, and offering our life map to them.

Maybe, there are things that has helped you overcome something in your personal life, which by doing this, it gave you confidence.

There are also other things that has helped you grow in your career, and on how you are building your professional self, doing this gave you a sense of direction.

PAY IT FORWARD

I believe that we shouldn't make people climb the ladder when we can send down the elevator. That's how people progress and elevate.

To meet us half-way, to stand by our side to be mentors and coaches to guide us in whichever endeavor we aim to pursue.

But then again, the right people will only appear when you become certain of what you are looking for, and aren't looking for.

It all starts from strengthening our own moral compass, which eventually will guide us towards our own life purpose and mission.

Good parting thoughts ...

• How strong is your moral compass? Are you making decisions out of your own integrity and will?
• Or are you doing things to win an un-winnable race?
• Are you proud of the life you are living? Is it in alignment with your own values?

These are just some fun ideas to think and ponder on.

Above & Beyond,

Danina D.