How To Use The 7 Deadly Sins To Become Your Best Self

By Louise Kaelin

The seven deadly or capital sins were so called because they are believed to be fatal to one's spiritual health. They are also differentiated from venial sins, which can be forgiven without confession, and are considered lesser sins. Since the seven deadly sins are lethal to our spiritual well being, it seems logical to conclude that the opposite virtue will nurture and nourish our spiritual health. To me, the state of being one's best self is living life in wholeness and the following are suggestions for evolving ourselves.

PRIDE
Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities. It interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It is also known as vanity and has been called the sin from which all others arise. The opposite of pride is humility. When you are humble, you are aware that, as special as you are, the world does not revolve around you.

To practice humility: Say thanks often. Saying thanks keeps our role in perspective as we acknowledge those around us.

ENVY
Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, situation, or possessions. Envy is not synonymous with jealousy as jealousy pertains to emotional rivalry directed towards a person. Envy, however, expresses an individual's feelings or attitude towards another person's things. It is resentment of a more fortunate person. The opposite of envy is good will. Good will is a disposition towards kindness or benevolence. It allows us to see people as people, with strengths and weaknesses, just like ourselves.

To practice good will:
Find reasons to congratulate others. Also, there is a philosophy known as WOW (Wishing Only Well) that is defined as living in your highest ideals and believing in yourself. It is appreciating and respecting the diversity and magnificence of life, realizing that you are a link in the chain of life. Wishing others well, verbally and silently, as you go through your day keeps you in harmony with yourself, and harmony with self is one of the strongest hallmarks of someone living their best life.
 
GLUTTONY
Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires. It is the over-indulgence and over-consumption to the point of waste and is usually associated with things we put in our mouth (food or drink). The opposite of gluttony is moderation. Moderation implies living within reasonable limits, without the necessity of going to extremes.

To practice moderation: Pay attention to your body. Your body is very wise and knows when it's had enough. Unfortunately, we often eat to excess because we are trying to deaden some pain. We feed ourselves based on our emotional needs and not on our physical ones.
 
LUST
Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. It is similar to gluttony, but characterized by an intense or unrestrained focus on sexual expression. The opposite of lust is love. Love recognizes and magnifies worth, while lust degrades the self, the other and the act.

To practice love: Focus on the person and not the act. Love (and love-making) is the joyous interaction that marks an intimate relationship. When we express our love through sex, it is beautiful and reflective of our best self. When we are addicted to sexual release, it reduces our self esteem.
 
ANGER
Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is belligerence aroused by a real or supposed wrong and is also known as wrath. The opposite of anger is often thought to be kindness, but I believe the opposite to be empathy. Empathy lets us identify with and understand another's situation, feelings, and motives.

To practice empathy: The simplest way to practice empathy is to remember to not take 'it' personally. Others aren't usually out to be mean or jerks or to interfere with your life. When someone does something that irritates you and has you responding with anger, take a few slow deep breaths and think about why you might be doing what that person just did. Sometimes I rush in traffic and accidentally cut someone off, not because I'm mean and vindictive, but because I'm focused on getting home for an important reason. Life doesn't just happen to me, it happens to all others too and when I can put myself in someone else's shoes, my anger usually dissipates.

GREED
Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called avarice or covetousness. The opposite of greed is generosity. When you are generous (as opposed to being a person who gives but expects something in return), you come from a place of love and support. It is hard to be your best self if you are not completely loving and supportive.

To practice generosity: Look around you and identify people who need some support. It may be a quick 'how are you doing', but it can make a difference in that person's day, and therefore in yours! You can also give 'things', but it is generosity of spirit we are talking about here.

SLOTH
Sloth is a deadly sin that has changed greatly over the years. While many define it today as physical laziness, it started life as spiritual apathy. It is preferring a life of ease, even at the cost of ignoring God's will and God's work for us. Each of us has a 'life purpose' that, regardless of the actual focus or nature, is normally expressed in service to others. The opposite of sloth is usually defined as diligence, which is the earnest and persistent application to an undertaking. However, I believe a truer opposite to the original meaning is personal growth and self development, the act of consciously seeking to improve ourselves and our lives, focused on becoming our best self.

To practice personal growth and self development: Start by appreciating who you are today and all you have accomplished or overcome. With that in mind, set an intention of actively working on becoming your best self and living your life in wholeness. Our goal is to become more God-like and free of the obstacles we throw in our own way. Each day is a journey of exploration and progress towards our end goal. Also, if you haven't already done so, identify your personal life purpose and start expressing it!

And if you're interested in more tips for Becoming Your Best Self, I invite you to claim your free instant access to the ebook "Blueprint for Success", chock full of ideas and strategies to reclaim your energy and get the results you want by visiting http://www.touchpointcoaching.com/bfs.htm.

From Louise Morganti Kaelin - Working Towards Wholeness Wizard: Becoming Your Best Self

Article Source: How to Use the 7 Deadly Sins to Become Your Best Self