image by ksawyer

“There is within each of us a desire to be right, think right, and act right. When we go against that desire we put a cancer in our conscience. This cancer grows and grows by eating away at our confidence. Avoid doing anything that will cause you to ask yourself, ‘Will I get caught? Will they find out? Will I get away with it?'”

– The Magic of Thinking Big, David J. Schwartz

Do you often regret your actions? Are you often left feeling guilty, or afraid, or sad by the actions you took? 

Is there a voice in the back of  your head, niggling you, when you do certain things?

It’s not about confessing your crimes, however small or big may be to others. It’s about confessing them to yourself. If you find your conscience prickling you, then you are doing something wrong. It doesn’t have to be wrong in the legal sense, or even ethical sense. It could be wrong against your moral compass, and the values that define you.

When you find yourself going against your conscience, you are going against who you are, and that is never a good thing. The aim of your life should be to become the best possible YOU. It doesn’t mean competing with others. It doesn’t mean achieving success against the measures set by the society. Being the best possible YOU means, truly living your values. It means keeping your actions in accordance with your thoughts, and your thoughts in accordance with your beliefs. 

When you work with your conscience, instead of going against it, you can have one of the most precious luxuries anyone can have: a peace of mind. 

ACTION YOU CAN TAKE TODAY

For one week, pay attention to all the times you go against your conscience, for anything. No matter how small your transgression, write it down in your journal, and write how you feel about it.