There is a saying that “Ships do not sink because of the water around them ,ships sink because of the water that gets into them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down”. In simple words it means we our character and values are not destroyed by negative environment around us ,Our soul our character are destroyed when negativity around us get inside us. Therefore to survive in negative values around us to get inside us and lower the purity of our character and soul.
We are a social being ,we are surrounded by people at our work place ,in schools ,in colleges and even in our homes . We interact people while shopping, while transport and in social events. All the people are not same. Everybody has own character and values. Some people are good ,some are bad. In fast moving world people are loosing character and values. People are becoming selfish, greedy dishonest, unsympathetic and hypocrite .we encounter such kind of people in our everyday life.
People often complain that work environment in their office is very toxic. They actually have problem from their colleagues and boss in their office. Jealousy ,comparison, arrogance, insult ,flattery , back-biting ,non sense gossips make the environment toxic. Some people even get depressed in such environment. This happens because these people let the negativity around them to get inside them which lowers their morale and spoils their life. The best way to survive in such environment is not to let the negativity in surrounding environment to get inside you. This is possible when you be in yourself. You focus on you and your work. You are vigilant about thousands going on in your mind and consciously eliminate the toxic thoughts.
One way to avoid negativity around us is focus on yourself than no others. Once a hard working , honest employee went to his boss and expressed his desire to resign. He told the boss that environment in the office is too toxic to work. Boss asked him to pick up a glass of water filled upto brim and walk in office for five minutes. The condition was that water should not spill out of glass while walking. When after five minutes the man came back , boss asked did you had any thought about any action or words said by any any of your colleague during these five minutes. The man said no. He said he had focus only on glass . That is what boss wanted him understand.
We should be like lotus plant. Lotus grows in foul muddy water but still maintains its beauty. Muddy water can be compared to the negative or toxic social entertainment around us and lotus flower is comparable to high character and values which should remain unaffected even in toxic surrounding environment.
Our surrounding environment affect our thoughts. Therefore always be vigilant on your thoughts. Our character affects our thoughts and our thoughts affect our character. When bad values shape our thoughts our character decays. Whenever an immoral thought come in your mind, eliminate it immediately. This is constant process on which we have to work continuously. Remember, immoral thoughts lead to immoral actions. Therefore purity of your thoughts should not be affected by actions and words or immoral and corrupt people around you.
Even when we are surrounded by selfish, greedy, corrupt and cruel people then also we should not leave goodness of our character. We should not let the bad value to get inside our character. Remember, our character and soul are not spoiled by bad environment around us but they are spoiled when we let the bad values to get inside our character.