Principles are like lighthouses. They govern human growth and happiness. They are interwoven into the fabric of every civilized society throughout history and comprise the roots of every family and institution that have endured and prospered.
Principle is the changeless core, inner source of security, guidance, wisdom and power. The degree to which people in a society recognize and live in harmony with principles and values will help them move forward towards perfection.
Values are core beliefs which guide and motivate our attitudes and behavior. They are the guidelines for human conduct. Values give meaning and strength to a person’s character. They are standards for life. Values are ideas, beliefs, norms and principles which shape our priorities and guide us in deciding what is valuable. Principles and values are standards by which particular actions are judged good and desirable. Placing an ideal of perfection above our own personal convenience and interests expands our personality and opens it to wider and higher influences.
Values are generally consistent across various situations. Principles and values are learnt from culture, religion, literature and personal examples. Values are the guidelines for human conduct and behavior that are proven to have enduring effects. Principles and values give meaning and strength to a person’s character and it is often reflected by one’s own attitudes, judgement, decisions, preferences, relationships and behavior, by occupying a significant place in one’s life.
-Dr. S. Ignacimuthu, SJ, former vice-chancellor of Madras and Bharathiyar Universities, in “Skills & Qualities for Effective Life”
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Psychology and Well-Being Websites:
American Psychological Association - Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life (apa.org topics values) - Offers a psychologist's perspective on the importance of principles and values for mental well-being and overall life satisfaction.
The Ethics Resource Center: https://ethics.org/ - Offers resources and insights on ethical decision-making and living with integrity, which aligns with principles and values.
The Life Coach School - How to Identify Your Core Values (thelifecoachschool.com) - Offers practical exercises and guidance from a life coach perspective to help you identify your core values, a foundation for principled living.
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl ([ISBN 080701427X]) - A classic book on finding meaning in life, even in the face of adversity. The concept of finding meaning is closely tied to living with principles and values.
Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley - What Different Religions Teach About Finding Purpose (greatergood.berkeley.edu]) - Explores how different religions approach the concept of living with principles and values to find purpose in life.
Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley - What Different Religions Teach About Finding Purpose (greatergood.berkeley.edu]) - Explores how different religions approach the concept of living with principles and values to find purpose in life.
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