Greetings! I hope this finds you well.

I invite you to take a moment to draft or update your personal code of character.

Are you considerate, kind, patient, present, peaceful, joyful, forgiving, easy going, grateful, respectful, trustworthy, open minded or something else? Feel free to share your current personal code of character as a comment if you like or reach out to me on the ATP Facebook page. And yes, your code of character will change. I am including my very wordy, current code of character as an example. I will also include a much shorter version that gets me to the same place.

Frankie Ghee: My personal code of character goes like this, “Because I want the world to be more peaceful, I will try to be patient with others. I will try to accept the present moment. I will try to be open minded and joyful.”

Frankie Ghee: I will seek and share joy.

Once you have a working personal code of character, you can use it to help you get through challenges in your day. If your code of character includes being kind, ask yourself what a kind person would do in the situation.

I often ask myself, “How will my reaction bring joy to me and to others?” That simple question has gotten me to keep my mouth shut when I might have otherwise said something unnecessarily snippy or cold. It has motivated me to acts of kindness and sparked my creativity. Seeking joy has led me to being more forgiving to myself, and it has inspired gratitude for both the mundane and the amazing. My days are better when I approach them with my quest for joy in mind.

Has your code of character improved your day?

I hope you are having the best summer ever. If you are gearing up for the new school year, I hope your code of character helps you have a wonderful start!

Frankie