Chapter 13 Values and Image Improvement VALUES AND MORALS Morality is the foundation of every human society.

. Without civic morality, communities perish. Without personal morality, human survival has no value. Every culture admits the values standard of behavior. When the moral foundation of a nation is threatened, then society itself is threatened. Values and Morals Defined Values is a collection of guiding, usually positive, principles; they are what one deems to be correct and desirable in life, especially regarding personal conduct. Morals pertain to, or are concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong. Respect and Reverence A good citizen acts respectfully towards his fellowmen because it is by giving respect to others that we are respected. By giving respect, we demonstrate that we are humans with proper breeding and etiquette. To whom do we show respect? 1. Our parents and relatives 2. Women, elders, and superiors 3. Our neighbors 4. People in authority Punctuality and Promptness We often hear people refer to Filipino time. As good citizens, we must be considerate of other peoples schedule and observe punctuality at all times. Here are some tips that will help you manage your time well: 1. Make sure that your clock time is synchronized with that of the one you are meeting with. 2. Consider your distance and travel time from your meeting place. 3. Do not commit to a meeting or set a deadline if you are not sure that you can make it on time. 4. Make it a habit to check your schedule for the next day before going to bed. 5. Consider creating a planner or organizer if you have a busy schedule. 6. If for some inevitable reason you cannot be at the appointed time, always notify the person you are meeting with at the soonest possible time. Avoid keeping other waiting. Obedience A good citizen must learn to be obedient whenever possible and necessary. Our actions must be in accordance with laws, rules, and regulations set by people in authority. In any case we violate these rules, we must be prepared to suffer the consequences of our actions and take the corresponding sanctions. What should we be observing?

1. 2. 3. 4.

Government laws School rules and regulations Religious morals Social etiquette

Cooperation A good citizen is always ready to help and cooperate with other members of the society. The spirit of bayanihan runs in our bloodstream. Cooperation is certainly a necessity especially in this age of globalization which calls for the nation to move as one as it competes with the rest of the world. Patriotism and Nationalism Patriotism refers to ones love of country, while nationalism refers to ones love of his countrymen. As good citizens, we must always be ready to fight for the freedom and honor of both our motherland and countrymen. We can also show our love by appreciating its beauty, protecting its environment and fulfilling our duties and obligations as citizens. Courage and Bravery Filipinos have a great history of courageous and valiant men and women. Our heroes fought and died so that we would be free. In return, we should also be brave to confront all the challenges that the Filipino nation is facing right now. The problem of poverty, hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, criminality, and ecological degradation are just some of the odds that we have to face as a nation. We need to start moving as a nation if we want to win this war. We must be brave enough to open our eyes and the eyes of others to see the kinds of national situation we are in now. PHILOSOPHIES OF LIFE An individuals personal philosophy is his way of looking at the world and the people around him. His personal philosophy is one of the most fundamental elements of his being, for it enters into his thinking, his emotions, his actions, and reactions. Some people do not have only one philosophy or way of thinking. They may be eclectic, meaning they partake of several philosophies. Roughly there are three basic philosophies: 1. The realist The realist looks to what is he seeks for the answers to his questions. He observes nature, he sees man as a product of the world about him. To the realist, mans most important feature is his ability to adapt and use the laws of the universe. The naturalists belong to the same category. 2. The idealist The idealist finds the answer to reality within mans mind or soul. The two main categories are the religious and the personal. If the idealist believes in God, he looks to Him for the ultimate answer to reality. He believes that the most important thing about man is his soul and his spiritual kinship with the Diving Being. 3. The pragmatist

The pragmatist looks for meanings in their practical bearings and believes that the function of thought is to guide action. He believes that experience is composed of circumstances, events, ideas, people, environment, and that the interaction among all these things is the basis of reality. The pragmatist is concerned with change, for experience is never static. An individuals right to his personal philosophy must be respected, and what he does if taken in the light of that philosophy, becomes more understandable. If one can do this, his ability to get along with people and consequently, his chances of improving his own personality will be greater. A persons values is based on his philosophy the things he considers to be of worth and importance. Other factors that influence a persons choice of values is his cultural tradition into which he was born, the values of the society in which he moves. One may value money; another, power; another, creative expression; and others a combination of all of these. In our nation today, the factors in determining and individuals pattern of value is confusing to young people. Until you know what you hold fast to, you are quite likely to be confused and bewildered by the conflicting sets of values you observe around you. Attitude Your Most Priceless Possession Attitude is the way you communicate your mood to others. When you are happy, you transmit a happy attitude and people usually respond favorably. When you are pessimistic or have a negative attitude, people tend to avoid you. Inside your head is where it all starts, attitude is a mind set. It is the way you look at things mentally. Emphasizing the positive and eliminating the negative is like using a magnifying glass. You can place the glass over good news and you can feel better or you can magnify bad news and make yourself miserable. In the work environment, as in your personal life, it is your attitude that makes the difference. Building and maintaining healthy relationships among superior s and co-workers is the key to success in any organization. Nothing contributes more to this process than a positive attitude. A positive attitude will expand your network. When positive, you transmit friendly signals. Customers, co-workers, and superiors are more open to you. Your attitude is expressed before you say a word. It shows in the way you look, stand, walk, and talk. If you are cheerful and upbeat, your attitude acts like a magnet. You not only attract others, but they are friendlier toward you because they sense in advance that you already like them. Some individuals downgrade the importance of building and maintaining good human relations. They place so much emphasis on technical skills that they ignore the human issues. As a result, they have difficulty understanding why others often lack enthusiasm for their work. Along with good work skills, career success depends on the quality of working relationships. An important first step is the development of good attitude. If you do not look for the best in your fellow workers you are less apt to find it. As a result, you will not become the team player management expects. Your personal productivity may remain high but you will not be contributing as much as you could to the productivity of your organization.

The saying the no man is an island, is true. We all need other people. This is especially true in the workplace. Those who build a strong network of supporters create their own attitude reinforcement program. It is difficult to remain positive without daily people contact. Co-workers, like personal friends and family members, can give your attitude the perspective, focus, and motivations to remain positive. Attitudes truly are infectious. Look Better to Yourself Through advertising we are told to improve our image. Self-improvement of any kind should be applauded; but the overriding reason for a new image is not to look better for others, rather it should be because you want to look better for yourself. When you improve your appearance, you give your positive attitude a boost. The term inferiority complex is when you look better to others than you do to yourself. In other words, when you have a negative self-image, you make yourself psychologically inferior. The truth is that you often look better to others than you do to yourself. There may be periods when you feel unfashionable, unattractive, or poorly groomed. This does not necessarily mean you look that way to your friends, but you end up communicating a negative attitude because you dont look good to yourself. When you look good to yourself, the world seems brighter. You are more in focus. Adjusting Your Positive Attitude Through Image Improvement Below are five general physical and psychological activities people engage in to improve or maintain their self-image. 1. Wardrobe improvement Pay more attention (and money, if necessary) to what you wear, how you coordinate various fashion items, colors, etc. make the best fashion statement possible. 2. Hairstyle, cosmetics Spend more time with your hairstyle, facial appearance, etc. 3. Looking healthy Devote time to an exercise program. Anything that will create a healthier appearance. Include posture, dental care, weight control, and diet. 4. Being yourself Refuse to be over-influenced by other and the media. Stay with your own idea of what your image should be. Be different in the way you want to be different. 5. Image-attitude connection Accept the premise that your attitude will suffer if you dont keep a good self-image. Even if you dont care about how other think you look, care about how you look to yourself because it is important to your own attitude. Assertive Behavior Many people think that being assertive is pushing for his or her own way, refusing to give an inch. Others think of someone who is stubborn on certain issues. This is not so. Assertive behavior is defined as a natural style that is

nothing more than being direct, honest, and respectful while interacting with others. Assertiveness is a most desirable behavior. It is needed for honest, healthy relationships. It s the behavior required for win-win outcomes in negotiations, conflict resolution, family life, and normal business dealings. Nonassertive behavior is passive and indirect. It communicates a message of inferiority. By being nonassertive we allow the wants, needs, and rights of others to be more important than our own. Nonassertive behavior helps create win-lose situations. A person behaving non-assertively will lose while allowing others to win. Following this road leads to being a victim, not a winner. Aggressive behavior is more complex. It can be either active or passive. Aggression can be direct or indirect, honest or dishonest but it always communicates an impression of superiority and disrespect. By being aggressive we put our wants, needs, and rights above those of others. We attempt to get our way by not allowing others a choice. Aggressive behavior is usually inappropriate because it violates the rights of others. People behaving aggressively may win by making sure others lose but doing so set themselves up for retaliation. No one likes a bully. Assertive behavior is active, direct, and honest. It communicates an impression of self-respect and respect for others. By being assertive, we view our wants, needs, and rights as equal with those of others. We work toward a win-win outcome. An assertive person wins by influencing, listening and negotiating so that others choose to cooperate willingly. This behavior leads to success without retaliation and encourages honest, open relationships. What an assertive person can do: 1. Deliver a direct, open honest communication 2. Use feeling talk express what you feel to others 3. Express things about yourself (self-disclosing) 4. Accept and give honest compliments 5. Accept and give constructive criticism and feedback 6. Disagree without making the other person wrong 7. Speak up and be counted 8. Ask for and receive clarification 9. Negotiate toward a workable compromise 10.Be able to listen to the environment