13 Virtues – My Self-Development Project

My latest effort at self-discovery and organization has been the 13 virtues that Ben Franklin set up as a self-help project to become the best man he could be. as others have done, I took the list and modified it for myself. I made my own list of 13 virtues that I want to work on. The number one thing that I think is important for me is planning and number two is organization. My true happiness comes when I can conquer my world. Sometimes I feel like it is closing in on me when I don’t have a plan and I am stumbling around trying to get stuff done or find where things are. Because of my MS, it is very very important for me to stay organized but more importantly, I have to plan. I realize in looking at this list that planning organization and completion go hand-in-hand because I don’t want a lot of unfinished projects around me, namely, baskets, with stuff that I have thrown things in to move to another place. I like this list and I’m going to work on it now before the new year starts. This way I can get a good handle when I do my resolutions.

My latest self health project yes, thanks to journaling and self discovery. Since I have been blogging again, after all these years, a lot of new neural pathways have opened up and realizations have been made. The only way that I am going to change my life for the better is if I Make a resolution to change my life currently. The way that I have been able to do this is by making observations with the things that I take in and learn. Since I have been reading again, through audiobooks, a new world has been opened up to me that I just forgot about. Books.

I’ve been reading a lot about mindfulness and hacking your happiness, and have determined that my happiness come from learning within. This way I can change my world on the outside.

Two of the books that I have read recently have made reference to Benjamin Franklin and his 13 virtues. He wrote an autobiography, and came up with a system of 13 virtues that he would work on regularly. He wrote them in order of importance to himself, with temperance being at the top of the list. He loved to drink and eat a lot, so his most important one was temperance. I can’t say that this would be mine.

I took each of his virtues and made my own list. I am still re-ordering them in terms of importance but I will be working on each one every week. Every 13 weeks the list will start again so I can work in quarters. It is a brilliant idea and very orderly. Something that works well for me.

I took Benjamin Franklins list and modified it for my own needs. For each virtue, I put one of my own, and it looks like this:

Temperance – Body Care

Silence – Silence

Order – Organization

Resolution – Completon

Frugality – Thriftyness

Industry – Creativity

Sincerity – Journaling

Justice – Nutrition

Moderation – Strength

Cleanliness – Planning

Tranquility – Meditation

Chastity – Learning

Humility- Self-Confidence

He also kept a scorecard for himself to see what he was best at, and what he needed to work on still. It is a path to perfection, and will be a long road, probably for a lifetime. I look forward to the journey and will keep you up-to-date!