Personality Development

Chapter-4

                         How to change our character?

Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles.
Every work that we do, every movement of the body, every thought that we think, leaves such an impression on the mind-stuff, even when such impressions are not obvious on the surface, they are sufficiently strong to work beneath the surface, subconsciously. What we are every moment is determined by the sum total of these impressions on the mind. What you are just at this moment is the effect of the sum total of all impressions of your past life. This is really what is meant by character, is determined by the sum total of these impressions. If good impressions prevail, the character becomes good; if bad, it becomes bad.
We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care of what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live, they travel far. Each thought we think is tinged with our own character, so that for the pure and holy man, even his jests or abuse will have the twist of his own love and purity and do good.

Each action is like the pulsation quivering over the surface of the lake. The vibration dies out, and what is left? The sanskaras, the impressions. When a large number of these impressions are left on mind, they coalasce and become a habit. Everything that we are is the result of habit. That gives a consolation, because,if it is only habit, we can make and unmake it at any time.
Our character is the sum-total of these marks, and according as some particular wave prevails one takes that tone. If good prevails, one becomes good; if wickedness, one become wicked etc..
Go on doing good, thinking holy thoughts continuously; that is the only way to suppress base impressions.

Character is repeated habits, and repeated habits alone can reform character.