You Reap What You Sow

From the earliest writings, wise humans have found ways to express this fundamental truth: You reap what you sow.  While this cannot be taken as a promise for every individual experience you have, you can count on it to play out in the grand scheme of your life.

It stands to reason that if you plant a seed for a geranium, you’re going to produce a geranium. If you plant poison ivy, you better stock up on anti-itch cream. It’s no different with your choices, attitudes, habits and behaviors.

It can be surprising to find that some people can’t see the connection between what they say or do and the results they get. Marriages can be negatively impacted when a husband speaks harshly or critically to his wife and then is angry when she is not affectionate with him. Or when a wife criticizes her husband in front of the children or friends, and then has no understanding of why he prefers to work late instead of coming home. Sometimes, we can be blind to the obvious.

If you bring a poor attitude to work with you on a regular basis, there is a better-than-average chance you will not be on the fast track to promotion.

If you tend to tell lies or do things you don’t want others to know about, you will most likely believe that others are out to take advantage of you or that they’re lying to you. Life is hard when you feel you have to be on your guard all the time.

If you fill your life of bad habits like using tobacco, excessive drinking, unhealthy eating or viewing pornography, I can virtually guarantee that you will suffer the consequences of poor physical, mental and relational health. Loss of health will ultimately deplete your happiness and optimism.

The good news is this: If you sow positive attitudes and actions into your life, you may be surprised at how things can turn around for you.

Choose to live with integrity – telling the truth, dealing honestly with others, etc. – and you will find that others seem more open and trustworthy. As you begin to give others the benefit of the doubt, you will often find that they can be trusted and they are more willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in return.

Choose a good attitude. People are much less likely to be hostile with you if you approach them with a positive, open attitude. You can choose not to start an argument. Instead, view a difficult situation as an opportunity to solve a problem in a way that works well for everyone.

Choose to take good care of yourself. The better you feel physically, the easier it is to have a positive attitude. I understand that there are a lot of people with painful conditions that may never go away, but I always encourage people to try to avoid taking it out on others. Being irritable doesn’t help the pain and it hurts your emotional health by damaging your relationships.

In short, if you sow negative attitudes and actions, you will reap unpleasant results. However, if you sow kindness, wisdom and optimism, you will certainly reap a better life!

Live, Work and Relate Well!

Dr. Todd