Mastering Life's Challenges with An Unshakeable Foundation

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Imagine navigating life's trials with an unshakable core, built firmly on integrity and character. That's what we're diving into today - a comprehensive discussion on the parallels between the process of building a house and the formation of your character. When the foundation of our character encounters external pressures, we stand strong, maintaining our integrity. But what happens when our foundation is shaky? We end up with flaws in our character, cracks in our integrity, and a damaged personality structure. 

In the second leg of my discourse, I'll delve into the essence of honesty and the power of seeking help. Through encouragement, I will show you how a strong, uncracked foundation can save you from the impatience and frustration of those around you. It's worth noting, however, that the journey of self-improvement, like construction, can often slow your pace, causing friction with others. So, join me as I explore the art of constructing a robust character foundation and mastering the skill of tackling life's challenges gracefully. Let's build not just houses, but characters!

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C Bond (@seebeyondwhereur) • Instagram photos and videos
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Episode Transcript

C. Bond (00:25):
You're listening to See Beyond Where You Are.
With C.
Bond.
I had a lot to do this pastweek so I was in the car a lot.
I don't know if you arefamiliar with Atlanta traffic,
but it is hectic to say theleast, especially when there are
road closures, partial roadclosures and or construction.

(00:49):
It adds to traffic that isalready congested, it makes the
commute longer and sometimestempers shorter.
But let me remind you to pleasebe mindful of the workers, that
you do not speed around them ordriving the lanes they are
working on, or even pass theperson who is holding the

(01:12):
stop-slow sign.
But it's not the traffic that Iwant to talk about, it's the
construction.
Well, a very specific part ofthe construction I'm talking
about the foundation.
A good foundation can supportthe weight of the rest of the
house or building.
A good foundation must bewell-built or solid, level and

(01:39):
can't have any major cracks.
That is how you and I should beWell-built and solidly honest
in dealing with people Having astable character, level or
level-headed, thinking clearly,someone who doesn't allow anger
to dictate their life, and youcan't have major cracks, which

(02:03):
are major character flaws, thekind of flaws that cause
unscrupulous behavior like lyingto and stealing from people or
gossiping and manipulating them.
So let's talk about what itmeans to have a foundation that
is well-built, level and withoutany major cracks, number one

(02:26):
being well-built or solid.
I love seeing new constructionand enjoy open houses of old and
new homes.
It is an opportunity for me tosee the potential of the
neighborhood.
New homes have potential, andso do older homes.
Now, this new and old is ametaphor for younger people and

(02:48):
more mature people.
But what I cannot stand is tosee a home that has been
hurriedly crafted and is notwell-built.
I have been to open houses innewly constructed homes and have
seen the railings not firmlyattached, doors hung with one
longer than the other, slopingfloors or backsplash with the

(03:12):
tiles falling off.
When I see those things, ibegin to think about the
problems that will be waitingfor the homeowner years later.
Now, those issues I justdescribed can be avoided or
repaired, especially if thefoundation is good.
They can be avoided if thebuilder or artisans take their

(03:35):
time and does the job properly.
And that applies to you When itcomes to your character.
There are character flaws orissues that can be avoided if
you take the time to work on you.
Do your best.
Don't be in such a hurry thatyou miss or overlook character

(03:55):
flaws because you don't want toacknowledge them or because you
don't know how to deal with them.
Preventing character flaws islike a new construction home
that has a good foundation.
That foundation must be able tosupport the materials needed for
whatever that state, region orarea deals with seasonally, like

(04:19):
tornadoes, earthquakes, floods,high wind speeds and hurricanes
.
For instance, in Florida, it iscommon to see homes built with
concrete blocks, but in otherstates, the primary structure is
wood.
Builders use wood to frame thehouse from the foundation to the

(04:42):
roof.
However, regardless of whatstate, region or area the home
is built in, the foundation mustbe well built.
This is applicable to us andthe issues that we have to deal
with, whether they are regionalor seasonal, from family or
friends, home or work related,personal or something that is

(05:07):
common knowledge.
We need a well built foundationto handle what life gives us
When things are hard.
That well- built or solidfoundation will keep you honest.
It keeps you honest when no oneis looking, preserving your
character and integrity Yourcharacter, because it is the

(05:30):
foundation of who you are.
Your integrity, because it isthe thing that external factors.
Pressure.
It is the thing that people useto see if they can make you mad
or jealous, but if you arelevel, those kind of external
pressures don't get to you.
Number two being level.

(05:54):
What happens if a house is notlevel?
It can have a slope.
That slope could be the housesettling or it could be an
indication that the foundationof the home is no longer able to
support the weight of the house.
First, the house settling.

(06:14):
That's considered normal.
But what does it mean when ahouse settles?
I googled that question.
It's when different parts of ahouse the foundation, the wood
and even the saw underneathshifts due to environmental
changes, such as wood orconcrete losing small amounts of

(06:36):
moisture over time, or theweight of the house is
compressing the saw that it sitson Again.
That is just like us.
When change is taking place inus, we shift due to settling.
When we settle in our mindsthat we want to behave a certain
way, we shift our thinking andour behavior.

(06:58):
We lose the steam of anger andjealousy or any other character
flaw, just as a new home losesmoisture.
But if the house is not leveldue to structural issues, there
will be some damage to the homelike cracking walls or windows
and even collapse in extremecases.

(07:19):
Imagine having guests in yourhome with crack walls and
windows.
They are going to see thosecracks and instantly know that
something is wrong.
That is how you presentyourself to people when you are
not level.
They see the cracks in yourcharacter because your
foundation is not well- built.

(07:40):
Your foundation was never meantto support jealousy, gossiping,
manipulation, lying, deceit,stealing, mistreatment of others
, etc.
These character flaws in yourfoundation will cause structural
damage.
Which leads me to my thirdpoint cracks.

(08:03):
Is it normal to have cracks inthe foundation of new
construction?
Yes, if they are hairlinefoundation cracks.
Hairline cracks are typicallyharmless and can form days or
weeks after a new foundation islaid.
This can happen because theconcrete or mortar is drying out

(08:23):
as it cures.
In older homes, hairline crackscan appear as a sign of
concrete aging.
But how do you know if thecrack is structural?
Structural foundation cracksare generally larger than
hairline cracks and come indifferent shapes and sizes.

(08:43):
When I googled this, it saidthat structural cracks are
larger than 3 millimeters.
One end of the crack may bewider than the other end.
The concrete on one side of thecrack may be flushed or it
could be uneven.
This can potentially lead to ahome collapsing if the

(09:04):
foundation is not repaired.
If your character, yourfoundation, has structural
damage, you can hypotheticallycollapse.
This is an indication thatthere is a problem with your
character, which is yourfoundation, and your integrity,

(09:24):
which is everything else, likethe wood framing or concrete
blocks that started thefoundation and goes to the roof.
You may have structural damagebecause at some point in life
you allow traits like being ahypocrite, being self-righteous,
womanizing man, stealing, beinguntrustworthy and others to

(09:46):
shift your foundation, but it'sfixable.
Work on repairing yourcharacter.
If you possess bettercharacteristics, your foundation
will become stronger, but ifyou are unwilling to change that
, structural damage may causeyou to collapse.

(10:07):
When another storm comes inyour life, when you have a
financial situation, whensomeone passes in your family,
when a relationship goes sour,There's a possibility that you
may collapse due to structuraldamage.
Maybe your cracks will getbigger.
Then, instead of talking aboutothers, others will start

(10:28):
talking about you, because theysee your cracks.
They see the cracks in yourattitude, they see the cracks in
your personality, they seecracks in your relationships.
But what can you do?
I encourage you to repair allthe cracks in your character.
If you're not known for tellingthe truth, decide to be truthful

(10:50):
to at least one person.
Make it a habit to be honestwith that person.
This can help you be honestwith others.
If you find this too difficultto do on your own, seek help.
But don't go aroundbroadcasting your character
flaws.
It will interfere with the workyou are doing to improve your

(11:14):
integrity and restore or buildyour character.
You need and deserve to have awell-built level foundation with
no major cracks.
You've been listening to SeeBeyond Where You Are with C.
C-Bond.
Until next time.

(11:34):
Remember, construction cancause people to be impatient and
upset because it slows themdown.
You're being under construction.
While repairing your foundation, we'll cause others to be
impatient, complain and becomeupset too.
But keep working on yourfoundation because one day

(11:58):
someone will drive back andadmire the beautiful you that
has been built on such a solid,well-built foundation.