Pleasant Personalities

Here are qualities that make up a pleasant personality. Check your qualities against those given here. Which have you developed? Which have you not? How can you improve your own personality?

One of the most important factors upon which family happiness depends is the pleasant personality of its members. To maintain desirable social relations, each member of the family should cultivate desirable characteristics. affection, appreciation, cheerfulness, consideration for others, cooperation, courage, courtesy, generosity, gratitude, honesty, industry, initiative, loyalty, self-control, sociability, reverence, tact, and readiness to serve society are indispensable requirements of a pleasant personality.

Affection is the pillar of family life. Without it, the family cannot stand together, share family happiness or help one another in moments of grief.

Appreciation is the kind and pleasant way by which we manifest through oral expression or by action the approval of the deeds of others. Thoughtful and sincere appreciation inspires others to work for the good of himself and that of the group to which he belongs.

Cheerfulness in the family is the prevalence in it of joyful spirit and lightheartedness. When cheerfulness prevails, sunshine penetrates the walls of the home, and poverty and suffering become bearable.

Cooperation is the contribution of common efforts to carry on any activity. With it, the most difficult task becomes lighter and the most sorrowful feeling becomes bearable because a grateful person simply shows goodness for a favor received.

Honesty is a combination of truthfulness and sincerity. Honesty may be shown by word and action. Many dangers can be avoided and misfortunes prevented if boys and girls are honest in dealing with their parents.

A big number of young people do things which they conceal from their parents. For example, they may go outing or swimming but tell their parents that they will do research work in public libraries. When they go places without proper advice, misfortune might follow.

Loyalty refers to the constant love, fidelity, and faithfulness of a person to his friends or family. No home can endure long unless faithfulness and love characterize its atmosphere. A boy or girl owes it to his or her family to stand by it always. He or she should defend it and not do anything that might bring it dishonor.

Self-control means ability to remain calm in the face of unusual occurrences. Many troubles and difficulties can be prevented if we exercise sufficient self-restraint and think several times before we act or speak, especially when we are provoked.

Thrift is the secret of family security, happiness, and prosperity. What we save for a rainy day counts more than our actual income. In case of death or sickness, suffering is aggravated if there is no money to meet unusual expenses. All members of the family have the duty to cooperate in making some provision for possible future needs.