The Presence of Character

The Presence of Character

The Presence of Character

In February, we honor our Presidents' birthdays, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. And although now denigrated to bobble heads or cartoon characterizations in mattress stores or car dealership ads, each arebeing recognized fortheir leadership,service, andcharacter. Even though generations apart, both men embodied many similarities: both were tall men for their time; both had vehement opposers; both motivated those around them in the face of incredible obstacles; both adheredto unwavering principle;both led our Country in times of great division and unified it. Both had outstanding character.

But character is notjust relegated to noble leaders in hard times. Character is something we each can embody everyday in ourown lives. What is it? Character is ourvalue system, ourqualities, attributes, traits, and abilities. Character may be best defined as when our actions (the choiceswe make)are aligned with our authentic self. Why dowe need it?Character is at the core of our leadership abilities, our career paths, and ourrelationships with others.

Can you define your character? Here are five building blocks:

1. Caring = Kindness. Compassion. Gratitude. Helping others in need. The ability to disagree with someone, but still have empathy for them. Forgiveness.

2. Respect = Tolerance. Acceptance. Consideration. Loving yourself and opening your heart to love others even if they are different from you. Peaceful.

3. Responsibility = Planning. Perseverance. Accountable. Following through and doing something when you say you are going to do it. Self-discipline.

4. Trustworthiness = Honest. Reliable. Loyal. Having the courage to do the right thing. Reputable.

5. Values = Identity. Ethics. Expectation.A person's sense of right and wrong or what "ought" to be. Moral compass.

Your character is unique.Through self-evaluation, build your character on the basis of these five principles. Remember to makedaily choices basedonyour character.That doesn't mean you have to be "perfect". It simply means living as your authentic self; living life with character.

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