Better than we were before

I wrote in my book that we can be happier in life by trying to be a better person than we were. However, I know for me, doing so isn’t always that easy. Sometimes I don’t feel like being a loving and kind person or want to be understanding and tolerant of someone who isn’t being any of those things themselves.  I do try though, and even if I am the slightest bit unkind to someone, I will apologize and tell that person it’s not who I am or who want to be. I then move on and try harder next time to be the person I say I am.  This is simply a part of growing spiritually and it helps me to be happier in life. There are other ways we can be better than we were before that doesn’t involve spiritual growth, but can also help us be happier in life. I have learned that if I’m open minded and try to understand other peoples views on things, it can go along way in not only being better able to practice love and kindness toward them, but becoming better educated on things I don’t understand. Many times after I listen to what someone else thinks about something that interests me, even though I may disagree with what they are telling me, I still investigate what they told me and sometimes learn something about the subject I didn’t know before. It doesn’t always lead to me changing my own views on whatever the subject was, but it does help me to try and find some common ground to stand on with that person and accept them for who they are and what they believe in. This then adds to the happiness I feel from growing spiritually because I know I’m also growing as a personal. This self education along with my continued quest to be a spiritual person is one of the main reasons for my happiness in life, and also helps me to love myself and be happy with who I am, even when I sometimes still behave like someone I’m not.