101 Ways : How To Be a Better Person


Be a better person
“We cannot become what we need to be, remaining what we are.” - Max Depree
How does one become a better person?
I remember when I was studying in university, I didn’t like myself very much. I was rude, selfish,emotionally stingy, self-centered, judgmental, highly critical, very obnoxious, and arrogant.
When I think back about it, a lot of that came from insecurity with myself – a lack of self-esteem. I didn’t like myself, and this projected in my behavior toward others. I was dissatisfied with things about me, and hence I was dissatisfied with things about other people.
Subsequently, I decided to work on becoming a better person. I didn’t like who I was becoming and I wanted to change that. After all, it’s quite miserable to live a life of self-hate. They say misery loves company, but I think the company misery attracts is self-debilitating in nature. It only makes you more and more unhappy, and no sooner turns you into a wrenched sight. Not a pretty vision, me thinks.
Today, I’m a lot happier with who I am. I can’t say that I’m perfect or that I’ve achieved my ideal persona, because there’s still so much I’ve to work on. I also think that becoming a better person is an ongoing goal to be worked on, and there’s never a real end point to reach.
In this massive list post (yet another in the 101 tips series! Past sister articles include: 101 Things To Do Before You Die | 101 Most Inspiring Quotes of All Time | 101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself | 101 Ways To Live Your Life to the Fullest), I share with you 101 ways to be a better person. :) If you just follow a tip a day, you’ll go a long way toward becoming a better, more likable, person. Remember this isn’t about making yourself liked by others – but about becoming someone you truly love and adore, which will in turn attract the right people and opportunities into your life.
Here goes:
  1. Commit yourself to growth (Be Growth-oriented). The more you grow, the better you become. I committed myself to a lifetime of growth back in 2006 (when I discovered my purpose), and I’ve never looked back ever since.
    Commit yourself to growth
  2. Work on your negative traits. Are there any traits you dislike about yourself? Some traits which I didn’t like about myself in the past include being self-centered, arrogance, selfishness, critical, harshness, hardness, etc. Identify them, then work on them one at a go. It can be challenging to try to overhaul your character at one go. On the other hand, if you work on addressing 1 negative trait at a time, it’s a lot more manageable and achievable.
  3. Identify your ideal persona. What’s your ideal self like? Picture him/her in your mind, then write down all the traits of your ideal persona. Then, start living true to your ideal self.
  4. Find a role model. Having a role model gives us a concrete image of who we want to become. I see role models in people like Ellen Degeneres (for her genuineness and compassion toward others), Tyra Banks (for not being afraid to stand up for what she believes in, and inspiring women to do the same), Ivanka Trump (for her beauty, intellect and grace – representing the modern day woman), Oprah (for being a power mover in the world of self-help), among others. Who is/are your role model(s), and what do you like about them?
  5. Be a role model. The best way to be a better person is to be a role model to others. How can you be an inspirational guide to others? Live by example. In being a role model, remember it’s not about making yourself into someone you’re not (see #57 on Be Individualistic). It’s about living true to your ideal self (see #3).
  6. Be a better child to your parents. You only have 2 parents in your life, so appreciate the time you have with them. If your relationship with your parents is non-ideal, it doesn’t mean that everything ends here. I used to have a very poor relationship with my parents, until I achieved resolution recently. Read: How I Found Peace in My Relationship with My Parents
    A Happy Family
  7. Be a better friend to your friends. I used to be disappointed at how some of my friends aren’t always there for me when I need them, then I realized that I should think about how I can be a better friend to my friends first before making such expectations of others. Likewise for you, think: How can you be a better friend to your friends? Read: How To Have More Best Friends in Life
  8. Be a better sibling, if you have siblings. I’ve several friends who are the only-child, and they frequently talk about how they wish they had a brother or sister. If you’re lucky enough to have brother(s) and sister(s), treasure them. Spend more time with them; Show them care and concern; Look out for them if you need to.
  9. Be a better partner, if you’re attached. If you’ve a girlfriend/wife or boyfriend/husband, think about how you can be a better partner to him/her. When you’re in a relationship, it’s easy to make demands and expectations about what your partner should do/be, but it’s difficult to take ownership for the things we aren’t doing/being ourselves. Commit yourself to being a better partner, and release your expectations of your partner. Both of you will be happier that way.
    Be a better partner
  10. Be a better parent, if you have children. Many parents have told me that having a child one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to them. If you have a child(ren), think about how you can be a better parent, without impeding on the child’s growth. Raising a child can be challenging especially as he/she enters adolescence years, but that’s also part of the joy of being a parent.
  11. Be a better employee in your company (if you work for someone). Often times, I hear people complain about how their companies are not giving them enough benefits/wages/support/etc. While this may be true, think about how you can be a better employee instead. Check if there’s anything more you can do for your manager. See if there are any new projects you can take on. See how you can improve your current performance.
  12. Be a better manager/leader (if you’re managing others). Many people leave their jobs because they’re unhappy with their managers. How well you manage your employees can dramatically affect their motivation levels and their performance. Put their needs before yours and bring the best out of them.
  13. Be a better member of your community. What communities are you a part of? Say, interest groups? Recreational clubs? How can you be a more active part of the communities?
  14. Be a better human to others. How can you treat the fellow humans around you better? Start treating them this way.
  15. Be a better being in this world. How can you make the world a better place? Start doing that today.
  16. Be Able. Equip yourself with skills. Your skills are like the tools in your toolbox. The more skills you have, the more able you become.
    • Learn something new. There are always new things to learn, no matter how much you already know. The more you learn, the better you become. Read: Skills Development
    • Hone your current skills. With your current skills, strengthen them. You can never be too good at a skill – there’s always room to improve. Even the best people in their fields, such as Tiger Woods (Golf), Michael Jordan (Basketball), Beethoven (Pianist) never stopped honing their craft. Read: Leveling Up
  17. Be Accepting of differences – be it different people, different thinking, different lifestyles, different cultures. For they add variety and color into our lives. If everyone is the same, life will be bland – monotonous, even.
  18. Be Adaptable / Flexible / Versatile. Have your goals and plans, but be able to change them accordingly when the situation calls for it. Rigidity is a sign of weakness, while adaptability makes you so much more powerful.
  19. Be Adventurous.
    • Step out of your comfort zone. Are you sticking to the same routines and hiding behind a safety net? Step out and do something you’ve never done before. It’ll broaden your mind and make you a better person.
    • Travel. Traveling broadens perspectives and widens horizons. Since June 2011, I’ve been touring the world, starting with Europe and I’m gaining so many insights about different cultures that it’s amazing.  The trip has definitely enriched my perspective on the world.
  20. Be Altruistic.
    • Always have the best intentions for others. Go for the highest good in everything you do, every decision you make, every path you take, every thought you have.
    • Volunteer (for a cause you believe in). Not everything has to be measured inmoney. At PE, I spend hours every day writing the best content and giving it away for free, without asking anything back in return from the readers. With volunteer work, you may be giving your labor for free, but this is time spent in good stead. Don’t underestimate the kind of difference you can make in others’ lives with just a few hours of work.
    • Save the environment. Our world is being wasted away, day after day, with the harm the society at large is inflicting on it. What can you do to protect our home?
  21. Be Assertive. Stand up for your rights and things you believe in.
  22. Be Attentive. When someone is talking, give him/her your full attention. Don’t busy yourself with something else; that’s just rude and inconsiderate.
  23. Be Bold. Life is an adventure – don’t live it in fear. Boldly pursue your dreams. Boldly act on your instincts. Boldly create the life you’ve always wanted. Read: How To Overcome Fear and Pursue Your Dreams
  24. Be Candid. Be frank, be outspoken, be earnest. Say what’s on your mind – Don’t feel the need to censor your words because you’re afraid of what others think. Be true to yourself. (But not at the expense of others’ feelings, of course – See #39 on Be Empathetic.)
  25. Be Caring.
    • Show concern. There’s no need to wait for a cry for help before showing your care and concern. You can do it right away, right now, to those around you. Even if there’s nothing wrong, it’ll warm the hearts of others to know that you cared.
    • Call your friends. Are there any friends you’ve not contacted for a while? Call them today and check on how they’re doing. They may not show it, but they’ll be happy that you called – because it showed you cared.
  26. Be Coachable. There’s always something we can learn from everyone, no matter his/her age, background or area of expertise. Don’t close off on opportunities to learn just because you think you know enough. Open your mind and let every encounter be a learning lesson. The moment you close yourself off is the point where you stop learning.
      • Find a mentor. A mentor guides you to become greater than you can be by yourself. You should only get a mentor if (a) the person has something to teach you (b) your personalities gel with each other. Back when I was working in P&G, I had informal mentors who often stepped in to make sure I was doing well. At the same time, they themselves had mentors who guided them. No matter how senior or experienced you may be, there’s always someone who has something to teach you.
    Get a mentor
  27. Be Committed… to your goals and dreams. If you’ve set a goal, go all out and achieve it. If you’ve laid down a plan, stick to it all through the way. Don’t waver, for that’s not in you to do so.
  28. Be Compassionate / Kind. Always look out for opportunities where you can help others. Don’t get caught up in your own space – instead, look outwards and see if there’s anything you can do for others. Even the simplest things, like helping someone carry his/her belongings, is very much appreciated by others.
  29. Be Confident… in who you are and what you do. There’s no reason not to be. Read: How To Be The Most Confident Person in the World
  30. Be Conscientious / Meticulous. Are you attentive to everything you do? Such a quality is rare, but so precious. Conscientious people put their heart and soul to what they do; consequently they do a complete and thorough job in whatever they do. You’ll naturally be a valuable asset to whichever organization or team you’re a part of.
  31. Be Considerate / Thoughtful. Make a habit to consider others in your decisions and actions, for they affect other people. Make sure no one is negatively affected before you proceed with your plans.
    • Practice the Golden Rule. It’s the ethic of reciprocity, which states “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself”. How do you want others to treat you? Shower others with this behavior, and you’ll attract more of the same.
    • Practice the Silver Rule. Related to the Golden Rule, it states “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you”. It’s to make up for the shortcomings of the Golden Rule. How do you not want others to treat you? Make sure you don’t do this to others.
  32. Be Cooperative. Don’t be insular and seclusive. Be willing to work with others if they need your help. We do not exist in this world alone; Life is possible because we have each other.
  33. Be Courteous. Practice good etiquette. Always remember your “hi”s, “bye”s, “thank you”s and “welcome”s.
  34. Be Courageous / Overcome Fear. Is there anything you’re scared of? Don’t be. Fear is mental – It’s only what you perceive it to be. If you challenge that which you’re afraid of, you’ll realize there’s nothing to be scared of at all, because there is nothing to lose – We entered this world with nothing but our consciousness, we’ll leave the world with the sameconsciousness. Read: How to Overcome Fear and Pursue Your Dreams | How To Overcome Fear(Series)
  35. Be Curious.
    • Have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. So you’ll always be learning new things.
    • Ask questions – often. The more questions you ask, the more information you can uncover.
    • Get feedback from others. Feedback is one of the fastest ways to identify areas of improvement, since others can see our blind spots. Day 17 of Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program is about asking for feedback from others around us so we can improve.
  36. Be Dependable. Be there for others when they need you. Always check if there’s anything you can do for your friends. If they call you, make time out for them. If they email you, take the time to respond. You never know when it’s someone in pain and reaching out for help. Read: How To Have More Best Friends in Life
  37. Be Discerning. Don’t blindly accept everything you hear or read; Always evaluate what you’re given with a discerning mind. This doesn’t mean you become skeptical; but rather you exercise your judgment appropriately.
  38. Be Emotionally Generous. Emotional stinginess means to be stingy with your emotions, while emotional generosity is to be generous. So, an emotionally stingy person is typicallynegative, unhappy, critical, judging, imposing; while an emotionally generous person is positive, happy, encouraging, supportive, etc. Be as giving with your emotions as possible. Encourage others. Be positive. Share happiness. Read: Are You Emotionally Generous?
    • Compliment others (with genuine intent). Part of emotional generosity is to be generous with compliments (that’s genuine and not fake). Get into the habit of giving compliments. When you meet someone and if you recognize something nice about him/her, let him/her know. You’ll make his/her day.
  39. Be Empathetic. Empathy is the key to successful relationships. Learn to see things from others’ perspective. It’ll let you understand people better, resolve conflicts, and developmeaningful connections.
  40. Be Encouraging. No one likes a wet blanket. Be encouraging when your friends share their problems with you. Be supportive when they tell you about their goals.
  41. Be Enthusiastic. Life is too beautiful to live dread and boredom. Embrace every day with joy and love. Start every day on a fresh new start! Approach every situation with excitement! And bring this energy to everything you do and everyone you meet. :)
  42. Aim for Excellence.
    • Take on more than you can handle. If you’re managing your responsibilities fine at the moment, challenge yourself by taking on more. If you’re always doing the same things, you’ll never develop anything. You’ll no sooner atrophy in your growth. Take on more work. Push your boundaries. Stretch yourself. This way you increase your capacity.
    • Expect nothing less than the best. Hold yourself to the highest standard in whatever you do. Always aim for the highest goals, the best results, the grandest vision.
    • Live your life to the fullest. Because why should you settle for a life that’s anything less? Read: 101 Ways To Live Your Life To The Fullest

  43. Be Fair.
    • Don’t bad mouth other people. Don’t speak ill of people behind their back, because it’s unfair to them and doesn’t give them a chance to defend themselves. Let the person know if you don’t like something he/she did, or otherwise make peace with it within yourself.
    • Don’t discriminate. Give equal treatment to everyone, regardless of race, language, religion, nationality, gender, age, social status, financial status.
    • Don’t judge. Don’t make conclusions about others’ character of their life based on 1-2 things you see about them. Always give others the benefit of the doubt.
    • Uphold justice. If you see unfairness being exacted, step in to right the wrong. This includes intervening when someone is being bullied, or standing up for someone when he/she is being unfairly judged.
  44. Have Faith. Don’t put too much pressure on an event or a person to give you the results you seek. Do your best within your capacity, and have faith that everything will fall into place.
  45. Be Filial. Our parents have dedicated half of their lives to having us and raising us. Now that we’re grown up, it’s our turn to repay them for the life they have given us. If your relationship with your parents is not the ideal state you envision, be sure to read How To Improve Your Relationship With Your Parents (Series)
  46. Be a Follower. Aristotle said it best with this quote: ”He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.” Are you a good follower? Are you able to take directions from others? Are you willing to take directions from others? Before you think about becoming a leader (see #60), you’ve to learn to be a good follower first.
  47. Be Forgiving.
    • Let go of your anger. Is there anything or anyone you’re angry with? Perhaps it’s time to give it/him/her and let things go.
    • Bury the hatchet with someone. Beyond embracing forgiveness inside you, reach out to the person you had grievances with in the past.  This is not going to be easy, but it’ll bring you a huge step forward in your growth. When I was younger, I had some conflicts with schoolmates here and there, due to misunderstandings. After I started PE, I decided I had to live by example if I was to pursue my purpose to help others how to achieve their highest potential. So, I reconnected with old schoolmates whom I had conflicts with. It was much easier than I thought – most of them reciprocated in kind, and after that we stayed connected as friends. Read: Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program, Day 24 – Right a Past Wrong
  48. Be Friendly / Approachable. We are all humans, here to connect with one another. If you see someone you don’t know, take the first step to know him/her. With people you know, keep yourself accessible so they can approach you whenever they need help. Read: 10 Tips To Make New Friends

  49. Be Generous. Find joy in giving. Remember life is not a zero sum game. By giving, you get to gain even more. By giving, you open the channel to receive new things in life. When people experience the beauty of giving, they’d want to give back too, so what goes around, comes around.
    • Share the good things in your life. What are you happy for? What do you have that others don’t have? What are you proud of? Don’t keep them to yourself – Share them with others. Happiness isn’t a zero sum equation.
    • Donate. Get in the habit of donating things you don’t need anymore. For example, old clothes, textbooks, books, toys, and the like. All my unwanted clothes are always donated to others. Sometimes I take the nice, unworn pieces and give them to my friends who can better appreciate them.
  50. Be Gentle. Our society has brought out a very “hard” side in all of us – one where we’re abrasive, one where we’re hard, one where we’re demanding. Bring out the gentle side in you for a change. It’ll make you a warmer person to be around.
    Be gentle with yourself
  51. Be Grateful. For the good things you have, because not everyone gets to have them. For the bad things you have as well,  because they strengthen your character and make you appreciate everything so much more. Day 14 of 30DLBL is all about gratitude.
    • Write a thank you note to a friend. I think a lot of times, we take our friends for granted. We forget about what they’ve done for us and are doing for us, as well as thevalue of our connection. Write a thank you letter/note/email to a friend and let him/her know how much you appreciate him/her. He/she will be very happy to receive your letter.
  52. Be Hardworking / Diligent. Without hard work, we can’t wish to get far in life. I’ve seen people who like to take the easy way out, and this is not what I promote at PE. There are no “quick tips” or “hacks” that will give you instantaneous results – at the end, it boils down to sheer, hard work.
  53. Be Helpful. Offer your help even if people don’t ask for it. There’s always something you can do for others.
  54. Be Honest. To lie is to shrink into a lesser self; To tell the truth would be take a step up in your growth. (Unless there’s a higher value at stake, such as protecting someone’s well-being.) One of my values is truth – To discover the truth via personal experience and constantly challenging what’s around me, and to be truthful in everything I do and say. I don’t achieve this 100% of the time, but I do my best to uphold it every moment of the day. Read: How To Deal With Dishonest People
  55. Be Humble. People who are arrogant tend to suffer from an inferiority complex, which is why they feel the need to parade their accomplishments. Learn to be humble. There’s no need to talk about what you’ve achieved – if they’re really good, the results will speak for themselves.
  56. Be Independent. Learn to manage your life. Learn to tackle your problems by yourself, without imposing on others. Feel free to approach others if you need help, but you should never expect them to solve your problems for you.
  57. Be Individualistic. Always be you – don’t try to be anyone else. Read: Finding Your Inner Self
  58. Have Integrity. Set your moral and ethical principles and stick to them. Never compromise on them no matter what.
  59. Be Intuitive. Follow your gut instinct. Let your intuition guide you. You’ll never go wrong with it. The more you follow your gut, the stronger your connection with your intuition will be.
  60. Be a Leader. A leader is someone who is able to bring the best out of others, who is able to inspire others to be bigger than who they are, who is able to energize people into action, who is able to lead a way with a common vision. Contrary to what many think, leadership doesn’t begin when you lead a group of people; it begins in our everyday life, with how we conduct ourselves and how we live our lives. Are you a leader of your life? Read: You Are the CEO of Your Life
  61. Be a Listener. The ability to listen is quite underrated in our society today. Many people are good at talking, but not listening. For today, make a point to listen to what others around you are saying. Ask questions. Clarify their answers. You may discover new things you didn’t know before. If you own a copy of Personal Excellence Book (Volume 2), be sure to check out 13 Tips To Be a Better Listenerarticle on how you can be a better listener.

  62. Embrace Love. Be a beacon of love. Start by loving everyone around you. Show love to your friends, family, partner, colleagues, bosses, clients, teachers, etc – whether explicitly or implicitly.
    • Love unconditionally. The highest form of love is unconditional love, where you love others without expecting anything in return.
  63. Be Loyal / Faithful. To the people that you care for, to the values that you stand for, to the things that you believe in. In the article Discover Your Values in Personal Excellence Book(Volume 1), I share in detail about values: the importance of values, my values and how you can create your own.
  64. Be Kind.
    • Don’t criticize. It’s easy to pinpoint faults in others, but really, it’s not in our place to do so. Not only that, it doesn’t make others feel good about themselves.
  65. Be Magnanimous. For every thing that people do you wrong, be ready to forgive and forget.
    • Accept criticism. If someone offers criticism, accept it. Accepting isn’t the same as agreeing. You don’t have to agree with the criticism, but at least give yourself the opportunity to consider it. Every criticism is an opportunity to improve, to become better. Read: 8 Helpful Ways To Deal With Critical People
    • Ignore malicious attacks. If someone flames you, take the higher route – ignore the person. You can defend yourself on areas where your values are infringed, but overall, keep a hands-off approach. It’s not worth it to engage in such discussions, because the flamer will only keep attacking, with no desire to achieve a resolution.
  66. Be Meditative. Those who meditate will know that meditation cultivates an inner peace within you. It makes you calmer and connects you with your inner self. Read: 10 Reasons You Should Meditate | How To Meditate in 5 Simple Steps
  67. Be Merciful. Instead of punishment, think forgiveness. Forceful actions – Pain, suffering, death, etc don’t bring closure to issues.
  68. Be Moral. Do what’s right over what’s wrong. The question of “what’s right” can be subjective depending on your upbringing, but universal values include equality of humans, gender equality, freedom of speech, freedom of choice, etc.
    • Go the non-cruel path. I commit myself to a vegan lifestyle because I didn’t want to harm animals. While you don’t have to turn vegetarian/vegan for this purpose, think about how you can follow a lifestyle that inflicts less pain to other living beings.
  69. Be Mindful / Present. Don’t live in the past or future, but focus on the present moment. For this is where you’re living at now. Meditating helps you to be present (see #66).
  70. Be Nurturing. There’s always ability in everyone. How can you nurture it out of each person?
    Be Nurturing
    • Recognize the strengths in others. Our society today has eased into a state where we keep looking at what we lack or don’t have, as opposed to what we already have. The former is a scarcity mindset, while the latter is one of abundance. Rather than think about what’s missing in someone (be in character trait, knowledge, ability, etc), focus on his/her strengths. What does she/he have? What is he/she good at? What do you like about him/her? Focus on these vs. what you don’t like.
  71. Be Open-Minded. Be ready to accept different beliefs, attitudes, personalities, cultures, practices, rituals, lifestyles, habits, races, nationalities, diets, etc, for everyone is different. No one thing is right; it’s just a matter of what works best for the individual.
  72. Be Optimistic / Positive. For life is too short to be negative.
    • Don’t complain. Complaining generates all this negative energy that makes you no different than an energy vampire. While it’s okay to vent every once in a while, be conscious of the times when you do that. Cut down on the time you spend complaining and think about what you can do about the situation instead.
    • Smile. How often do you smile a day? Smiling is something we don’t do enough. Whether you’re out on the streets or at work, it’s more common to see people with stoic expressions and hard frowns than smiles. The next time you see someone, even a stranger, smile at him/her. You’ll be surprised how many people will return the smile. Even if they don’t, trust that they have been warmed by your smile.
    • Laugh. As they say, laughter is the best medicine. Learn to laugh at the jokes people make, at the obstacles you’re facing, at the mistakes you’re making, and at the mystery that is life.
  73. Be Organized. The state of your life now reflects how organized you are. If everything is constantly in a mess, it suggests you’re probably disorganized in how you manage yourself. In being organized, you create structure, stability and predictability – which frees up your resources to pursue new goals. Creating a life handbookwill help to organize your life.
  74. Be Patient. Do you get edgy when something/someone is late? Time is fluid; it’s a constructcreated to help us organize our schedules. Learn to be present and live in the moment instead. Impatience breeds anxiety; Patience brings calmness.
  75. Be Peaceful. Where you have a choice, go for peace over violence. The latter solves nothing, but creates more pain. The former is the start to a healing journey.
  76. Be Persistent. No matter what you do, never give up. You will achieve whatever you set out to do, as long as you have the will to do it. My story of how I pursued my passion and turned it into a successful business is an example of that. The only time when giving up is the way to go when your priorities change and you realize the goal you were pursuing isn’t what you want anymore. Read: Quitting to Win
  77. Be Prudent. Be bold and daring, but at the same time exercise caution. A touch of practicality never hurt anyone; it helps you to be more ready for what’s ahead.
  78. Be Purposeful. Pursue a cause that’s higher and larger than you. When you do that, you’ll naturally grow into someone who’s bigger than who you are today. Pursuing my purpose to help others grow has made me embark on journeys and make decisions which I wouldn’t have pursued if I was just living my life for myself. Read: Discover Your Life Purpose in 30 Minutes
  79. Be Reasonable. Know your rights, but don’t overstep your boundaries. Act within good reason – You’ll be the best judge to that.
  80. Be Repentant. Has there been anything you did that you’re not too proud of? Repent and process it; don’t leave it inside your system, because it’s like rotting flesh – it’ll create an invisible stench and affect you subconsciously in your daily actions. Read: Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program, Day 24: Right a Past Wrong
  81. Be Resilient / Be Strong. Are you facing any obstacles that are making you waver in your goals? You have the strength inside you to do whatever you want – you just have to draw from it. Read: How To Start When You Have Nothing
    Resilience
  82. Be Respectful. Treat everyone with utmost respect, because every living being deserves that.
  83. Take Responsibility.
    • Live up to your responsibilities. What responsibilities do you have? Are you living up to all your responsibilities? Shrinking away from your tasks is an act of avoidance. Stepping up to them makes you a better person.
    • Don’t self-victimize. It’s easy to say “Why me?” when bad things happen. But it does nothing to build your character – in fact it makes you weaker over time, because you’re not taking ownership for your problems. Believe it or not, everyone faces these problems too – it’s not exclusive to you. Rather than wallow in self-pity, accept your problems as part and parcel of life and address them. The more responsible you are, the more control you have over your life. Read: You Always Have A Choice
  84. Be Self-Loving.
    • Be Kind to yourself. Do you often beat yourself up? Stop doing that. You, above all else, deserve kindness and respect from yourself.
    • Love yourself. For when you love yourself, you will automatically start loving others too.
  85. Be Self-Reflective. I make a habit to reflect on everything that happens to me, because that’s when I can draw lessons on what I can do better in the future. Self-reflection can take place via a private journal, an online diary, or conversations with others. Asking yourself the right questions is paramount in the self-reflection process. Read: 101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself
  86. Be Sensitive… to others’ needs and feelings. Always check to make sure you’re not neglecting anyone.
    • Don’t Impose. Imposing means to force your opinion on others. It’s okay to offer your opinion, but if others are not taking it, then there’s no need to repeat it over and over again. Keep it to yourself.
    • Don’t give unwanted advice. One biggest problems people face in relationships is when the other party tries to dispense advice that’s not needed. Many times, people converse as a way of sharing. Check if the other party is looking for advice first before you try to offer your 2 cents. It may help prevent unnecessary conflicts.
  87. Dedicate yourself to Service. It’s said that service to others is the highest thing one can ever do in life. Think about how you can contribute to others and to this world. And dedicate yourself to it.
  88. Be Sharp. Develop your observation skills. Sharp people are always the first to catch on to something; because of that they’re ahead of everyone else in their thinking too.
  89. Be Sincere / Genuine. Speak from the heart, always. Don’t say something unless you mean it. One of my core values is authenticity – I only say things that I mean, and never say things if I don’t believe in them.
  90. Be Spontaneous. Be uninhibited! Allow yourself to act freely, without restrictions. Not everything has to adhere to a plan all the time. Allow yourself to just go with the flow. :D
    Be Spontaneous
  91. Be Sympathetic. If others are sharing their problems with you, be sympathetic. Don’t jab in with insensitive remarks. Don’t dismiss their feelings and thoughts. Get yourself into the same state as them and express your sympathy, so they know they’re not alone in the situation.
  92. Be Tactful. There’s no need to be rude or abrasive. Be polite to your fellow humans – everyone has feelings, even if sometimes it may not seem that way.
  93. Be a Teacher. You don’t have to be a formal teacher in name – The very act of sharing knowledge to someone is already teaching in itself. By teaching others, we become better. What are things you’re good in? Share the knowledge with other people. Start by doing it informally, and soon formally teaching others will be second-nature to you.

  94. Be Trusting. Always give others the benefit of the doubt. No matter what you think, the baseline intention of people is always good. No one deliberately does something to harm others. When they do, it usually comes from a place of lack, but not out of sheer malicious intent.
  95. Be Trustworthy. Always honor your commitments and uphold your promises. If you make an agreement with someone, be sure to stick through to it.
  96. Be Unattached. For all things are transient in life. This doesn’t mean you become jaded and an emotionless being. What this means is you relish in every moment of your life, every situation you’re in, every person you’re with, as it is, without clinging on to it when it has passed. For we live in the present, not the past or future.
  97. Be Understanding. Learn to comprehend things from others’ perspective. A common understanding is needed for relationships to be build on.
  98. Be Vigilant. While the world is a safe place by and large, keep a watch out for possible dangers, especially when you’re in a foreign place. Keep a look out for suspicious people. Stay clear of potentially dangerous spots. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
  99. Be Visionary. Set the highest goals and the biggest dreams you can imagine. Then set off and bring your vision to life. Be sure to create your vision board too at the same time. In Day 5 of 30DLBL, you get to create your vision board. I’ve also created a video on Creating Your Vision Board.

    The vision board of one of our past 30DLBL participants, Theresa
  100. Be Vulnerable. Through PE, I’ve learned that sharing our vulnerabilities is what gives us the greatest strength as humans. In the past few years, I’ve opened up about some of my deepest vulnerabilities, including my relationship with my parentsmy past heartbreakmy disappointments, among others.
  101. Be WiseBeing wise means “having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion”. Practice good judgment by exposing yourself to different contexts; considering different perspectives; gathering as much information as you can; weighing out different possibilities. The more experience you gain, the more you learn, and the wiser you’ll become.

చంద్రబాబులాగే జగన్ మా ప్రత్యర్థి: కిరణ్ కుమార్ రెడ్డి


హైదరాబాద్: నారా చంద్రబాబు నాయుడు నాయకత్వంలోని తెలుగుదేశం పార్టీ మాదిరిగానే వైయస్ జగన్ నాయకత్వంలోని వైయస్సార్ కాంగ్రెసు తమ ప్రత్యర్థి అని ముఖ్యమంత్రి కిరణ్ కుమార్ రెడ్డి అన్నారు. శ్రీకాకుళం జిల్లాలో ఇందిరమ్మ బాట చేపట్టిన ఆయన శుక్రవారం ఓ ప్రముఖ తెలుగు టీవీ చానెల్ ప్రతినిధికి ఇంటర్వ్యూ ఇచ్చారు. రాష్ట్రపతి ఎన్నికల్లో వైయస్సార్ కాంగ్రెసు పార్టీ ప్రణబ్ ముఖర్జీకి ఓటేసిన తర్వాత వైయస్ జగన్ పట్ల మెతకవైఖరి అవలంబిస్తున్నట్లు జరుగుతున్న ప్రచారాన్ని ఆయన కొట్టిపారేశారు. ప్రణబ్ ముఖర్జీకి ఓటేయడమనేది వైయస్సార్ కాంగ్రెసు పార్టీ నిర్ణయమని, అంత మాత్రాన రాజకీయ సంబంధాలు మారబోవని ఆయన అన్నారు.
చంద్రబాబు బిసి డిక్లరేషన్‌పై ప్రశ్నించగా, చంద్రబాబును ఎవరూ నమ్మబోరని, ఆ విషయాన్ని పదే పదే చెప్పాల్సిన అవసరం లేదని, ఎక్కువగా మాట్లాడాల్సిన పని కూడా లేదని ఆయన అన్నారు. ముఖ్యమంత్రి పదవి తాను ఆశించింది కాదని, కాంగ్రెసు అధ్యక్షురాలు సోనియా గాంధీ తనపై నమ్మకంతో ఈ అవకాశం కల్పించారని, ముఖ్యమంత్రిగా ఎన్నాళ్లు ఉంటాననేది కూడా ముఖ్యం కాదని, ఉన్నంత కాలం ప్రజలకు, రాష్ట్రానికి మేలు చేయడమే తన ఉద్దేశ్యమని, వచ్చే ఎన్నికల్లో కాంగ్రెసు పార్టీని గెలిపించడం తన బాధ్యత అని ఆయన అన్నారు.
వచ్చే ఎన్నికల్లో ఎక్కువ శాసనసభ, పార్లమెంటు సీట్లు గెలుచుకుని సోనియా తనపై ఉంచిన నమ్మకాన్ని కాపాడుకోవడమే తన లక్ష్యమని ఆయన అన్నారు. ప్రభుత్వం చేపట్టిన సంక్షేమ, అభివృద్ధి కార్యక్రమాలు ప్రజలకు చేరుతున్నాయా, లేదా పరిశీలించడానికి ఇందిరమ్మ బాట చేపట్టినట్లు ఆయన తెలిపారు. ప్రభుత్వ పథకాల అమలులో లోపాలు ఉంటే సరిదిద్దుకోవడానికి ఇది పనికి వస్తుందని ఆయన అన్నారు. ఏ రాష్ట్రం కూడా అమలు చేయని రీతిలో మన రాష్ట్రంలో సంక్షేమ పథకాలు అమలవుతున్నాయని ఆయన అన్నారు.
వైయస్ జగన్ ఆస్తుల కేసులో సుప్రీంకోర్టు నోటీసులు అందుకున్న మంత్రులు నిర్దోషులుగా బయటపడతారని ఆశిస్తున్నట్లు ఆయన తెలిపారు. ఆబ్కారీ మంత్రి పార్థసారథి అంశం వేరని, పార్థసారథి కోర్టులోనే ఆ విషయం తేల్చుకుంటారని ఆయన అన్నారు. త్వరలో ఇంచార్జీ మంత్రులను మార్చనున్నట్లు ఆయన తెలిపారు.
ముఖ్యమంత్రి కిరణ్‌కుమార్‌రెడ్డి కాన్వాయ్‌ల్లో ఒక కాన్వాయ్‌కు ప్రమాదం జరిగింది. జిల్లాలోని వెలగవాడ వద్ద ప్రయాణిస్తున్న సీఎం కాన్వాయ్‌లో ఒక కారును జాయింట్ కలెక్టర్ కారు ఢీ కొంది. దీంతో డ్రైవర్‌కు తీవ్ర గాయాలు అయ్యాయి. చికిత్స నిమిత్తం ఆస్పత్రికి తరలించారు. ఇందిరమ్మ బాట పర్యటనలో భాగంగా శుక్రవారం శ్రీకాకుళం జిల్లాకు సీఎం వచ్చిన విషయం తెలిసిందే. జిల్లాలో సీఎం మూడు రోజుల పాటు పర్యటించనున్నారు.

Quick Effect: Magnifying Track Matte


Final Product What You'll Be Creating

This tutorial will teach you how to generate a magnifying effect with the use of an animated track matte. The final effect can be used for many purposes, particularly to create a sophisticated background for other elements, such as logos and text.
This tutorial is ideal for beginners or experienced After Effects users who want to quickly learn an attractive and simple technique.

Step 1

Open After Effects, and create a new composition (up top click “Composition -> New Composition”). Use the settings in the image when prompted. This will create a new composition that is 1280×720 that is 10 seconds long. After you learn, you can set your composition to whatever resolution suits your needs.

Step 2

Next you will need to draw a rectangle shape in this new comp. First you will need to zoom out quite a bit to see beyond the visible comp. You’ll see why in the next step. Zoom out by scrolling your mouse wheel down, or use the zoom drop down on the bottom left of your comp. Next use the rectangle tool, and draw a thin white rectangle that overlaps the top and bottom of your composition as shown in the below image. The color white for the bars on a black background is important.

Step 3

Now we will add an expression to the rectangle called Wiggle. What it will do is “wiggle” the layer randomly over time. We are trying to generate a smooth side to side movement. This can be keyframed but let’s allow the expression to do the work for us.
Navigate to the layers and drop down the arrow for the rectangle exposing its properties. Then drop down “Transform”. Hold Alt/Option and click the stopwatch next to the “Position” property. This will allow you to add an expression. Paste this code in that area (without the quotations, of course) “wiggle(1,65)”.
The first value in the wiggle expression is the “frequency” which defines how many wiggles occur every second. The second value in the expression determines how many pixels the object is allowed to move. This movement is why we made the shape larger vertically than the composition to prevent the shape’s top or bottom from moving into view. It also helps simulate a side to side movement only. Try to preview the animation at this point and watch your little rectangle move!

Step 4

Once this is done you will need to duplicate your rectangle 25 times (select the layer and hit CTRL+D). I know this seems excessive but it will pay off.
Each instance/copy you make, you need to move and randomly resize each one. Refer to the below image for an example, then create your own version.
Note: Feel free to play this step by ear. You don’t have to copy my example: add a few more copies, and play with sizing. Also, from trials I have found that a lot of smaller copies tend to add to the end effect. It’s also OK to position some off stage… if close enough, they will move on stage at some point.

Step 5

Your track matte is complete. You will now need to create a new composition within the same project. Once again, go to the top and select “Composition -> New Composition”. Use the same settings shown in Step 1. This new comp is where we will pair our footage with our moving bars track matte.

Step 6

Go to “File -> Import -> File” and select your footage. Since we are working in an HD format composition, I suggest using footage that is at least as large as the comp. By importing smaller footage you will need to scale the footage up, and could risk loosing quality. Once the import is complete you
should now have 3 files in your “Project” panel (Comp 1, Comp 2, and your footage). I’m going to use a stock image to demonstrate the effect. Stock image can be
found here: Link.

Step 7

Place your footage on the timeline of Comp 2. Ensure it is centered on the stage. Select that layer and again use Ctrl+D to duplicate your footage layer.
Now you have two copies of the same footage on your timeline. Lastly, you need to pull “Comp 1″ from the project panel to the top of your layer stack. Turn off the visibility of your “Comp 1″ layer. Do this by clicking the small eye icon to the left of the layer. If the matte is visible it will only look like a black and white animation, whereas the footage is the meat and potatoes of the project and that’s what we want to be able to see!

Step 8

Essentially, the matte we created in Comp 1 is a looking glass through to the two footage layers. The setup we are preparing will display the bottom footage layer in all of the black areas of the track matte, and will display the top footage layers in all of the white areas of the track matte. This is why it was so important to work with a black background and white rectangle shapes.
To be able to see the effect we need some difference between the two footage layers. To create this, we are going to scale the top-most footage layer up 5%. Drop down your top-most footage layer (the middle layer of the three) and then drop down “Transform”. Click the value in the scale property and change it to 105% and finally drop down the “TrkMat” for that layer and select “Luma Matte – Comp 1″.
By increasing the scale on the top footage layer, it gives off a magnified/displaced effect.

Step 9

Render your “Comp 2″ and you will end up with your video!

Additional Suggestions

This end result is just one of the many paths that could have been taken from the beginning of the tutorial. To achieve different results, you can tweak a number of different things.
  • Change how many shapes you place on the stage.
  • Vary the size of the shapes.
  • Change the values of the wiggle setting to make it faster/slower or to make it move more/less.
  • Give each shape a different wiggle setting… have them all moving at different speeds.
  • Blur the top or bottom footage layer.
  • Make one footage layer greyscale and the other footage layer color.
  • If at any time you feel you need to make a change to your track matte you can go back into
    your “Comp 1″, make the change, and when you change back to “Comp 2″ your change with automatically be reflected in the project.
The wiggle expression used here is bare-bones basic. After getting acquainted with things, you may want to check out AutoExpress.
It’s a script for After Effects that will allow you to apply the wiggle as though it was an effect rather than having to type the script manually. You can also add smoothing and looping to the equation to further the possibilities of this project!