Principles allow me to act, not in the way I feel, but in the way I should.

My feelings are not facts.

My feelings are always based on protecting my ego.

My ego is how I want to be seen by others, not how I really am.

To act as I truly am is called Humility.

The Situation

At work we have new management.

They don’t like me. This is based on only a few brief encounters.

I feel the anger rise when I think about it. I feel judged. I feel unseen.

And my feelings tell me exactly what to do with that anger.

They tell me to be cold. To be short with them. To withhold.

My feelings will always make me do that.

I would not want to be kind to them. I would not want to be of service to them.

The Principles

Some of the Principals are: Humility, Honesty, Gratitude, Service

The Principles remind me to come at them from Humility:

• Always be kind
• Always be of Service

Not because they have earned it. Not because I feel like it.

Because that is who I want to truly be, not just how I want to be seen.

Humility

My ego wants them to see me as valuable. As respected. As right.

Humility doesn’t need any of that.

Humility lets me show up, do the work, be kind, and be of service, regardless of how I am seen.

Peace

When I am able to do this, I avoid the mental anguish of anger and resentment.

Resentment is a poison I drink while waiting for someone else to get sick.

When I put it down, I am free.

I am able to have peace and serenity in the face of all adversity.

Not because the adversity went away.

But because I stopped letting my feelings decide who I am.