Dr. Abdal Hakim Jackson was really trying to drive this point home at the RIS Knowledge Retreat in 2011.
We often think of who we are -- our personalities and character traits -- as the source from which our actions emanate. A generous person will give generously. A patient person will remain calm in the face of distress. A courageous person will stand up for what is right even at the risk of personal harm. And people with less than desirable personality traits will do less than desirable actions.
Sometimes we use this reasoning as an excuse for our behaviour. "Well, I'm just not a patient/brave/(insert any other quality in here) person," we say. As if our personalities are carved in stone and there's nothing we can do about it.
The thing is, it works the other way around too.
Even if you're not born a generous person, if you keep giving and giving and giving (even if you don't feel like it), these actions will have an effect on your heart. And over time, you find yourself wanting to give. You've made yourself into a generous person.
Fake it until you make it...as they say.
So it's not a one-way street. Just as our inner character traits affect and manifest themselves in the actions of our limbs, the actions of our limbs affect and manifest themselves in our inner character traits.
We often think of who we are -- our personalities and character traits -- as the source from which our actions emanate. A generous person will give generously. A patient person will remain calm in the face of distress. A courageous person will stand up for what is right even at the risk of personal harm. And people with less than desirable personality traits will do less than desirable actions.
Sometimes we use this reasoning as an excuse for our behaviour. "Well, I'm just not a patient/brave/(insert any other quality in here) person," we say. As if our personalities are carved in stone and there's nothing we can do about it.
The thing is, it works the other way around too.
Even if you're not born a generous person, if you keep giving and giving and giving (even if you don't feel like it), these actions will have an effect on your heart. And over time, you find yourself wanting to give. You've made yourself into a generous person.
Fake it until you make it...as they say.
So it's not a one-way street. Just as our inner character traits affect and manifest themselves in the actions of our limbs, the actions of our limbs affect and manifest themselves in our inner character traits.
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