Life has many twists and turns—some will come unexpectedly and challenge my mental well-being. After several recurring events, it is easy to become overly cautious. With that thought, I remembered the old Boy Scout motto: “Always be prepared.” The word always stuck in my mind. Consequently, the acronym below:
A stands for attitude. If I can get myself in the right frame of mind, I can find a positive thought or behavior to share with those around me.
L reminds me to listen; listening is one of my fallacies. I’ve failed many times to listen to someone complete their thoughts before I interjected my line of thinking.
W is the nudge to be watchful. Some of life’s greatest lessons are learned from others rather than our own trials and errors. Being watchful is a better alternative than enduring unnecessary pain and heartache from our mistakes.
A reminds me to adjust. Adjust to what people are saying and respond appropriately. My response should always be tactful, while sticking to my beliefs and convictions.
Y reminds me not to yell, but to yield respectfully. Yielding does not mean compromising my convictions but choosing my words wisely.
S stands for service. It’s our godly responsibility to serve others, especially before we serve ourselves. Putting others first is the biblical example for our behavior.
These six musings may be helpful in case you want to “always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope” (1 Peter 3:15 CEV).
