~ Living with Integrity ~
Definition of integrity:
1. firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility
2. an unimpaired condition: soundness
3. the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness.
- Merriam Webster Dictionary
1. firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility
2. an unimpaired condition: soundness
3. the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness.
- Merriam Webster Dictionary
Based on these definitions, someone living a life of integrity has a strong sense of ethical action, reliability and wholeness. When we have integrity, we know who we are and what we stand for, and we act in ways that truly express that knowledge.
Living with integrity, particularly in these times, can be hard work and it can require courage, dedication and persistence. But in my experience, when my actions are consistent with my intentions and I am walking my talk, I feel good about myself. There is something very uplifting and strengthening about doing the right thing, even if it would be easier to choose to do the wrong thing.
Every time you act with integrity, it’s a reminder of your inherent basic goodness, your positive qualities, and your basic decency. And that makes us feel better about ourselves, whether or not we actually achieve anything. In fact, doing the right thing always feels good, even when we don’t accomplish what we set out to do because we tried and were true to ourselves.
Living with integrity is also a lot less stressful because you get to be yourself all the time. You don’t have to hide things or remember what you did or did not say or do. There’s a sense of ease and relaxation with integrity, because there’s nothing to hide. And with integrity, you will do the right thing, so you won’t have any guilt.
Conversely, being out of integrity can be very painful at an emotional level, with feelings of anxiety, fear, guilt and even failure. When there’s a gap between our deepest intentions on one side, and our actions and behaviors on the other, it can literally tear us apart.
Now I’d like to say a little about the qualities that make up integrity:
The first one I’d like to mention is self awareness. Self awareness is necessary to live with integrity because it gives us the capacity to reflect on our actions and determine whether or not they are consistent with our intentions. Without self awareness, we have no way of assessing whether we are living an undivided life or a divided one.
A second quality of integrity is the willingness to modify our actions when we become aware that they are not aligned with our ideals and values. This isn’t always easy, especially if it means going against what other people are saying or doing or against social norms. In a society built on white supremacy and privilege, people with white bodies can and should take responsibility for uncovering their implicit biases and stand with people of color. So living with integrity often requires courage.
A third quality is self acceptance. A person with integrity accepts who they are and does their best to live according to their intentions. Integrity is about wholeness and accepting ourselves just as we are, even the parts of ourselves that don’t want to live from integrity.
As Quaker educator Parker Palmer said: “By choosing integrity, I become more whole, but wholeness does not mean perfection. It means becoming more real by acknowledging the whole of who I am.”
A fourth quality of integrity is authenticity. A person with integrity is always the same, regardless of the situation they are in or the people they are with. A person with integrity doesn’t go in for flattery and they don’t insult or abuse people. There’s a genuineness, a trustworthiness and a steadiness in everything they say and do.
So here's to living with integrity. It can be challenging but it inevitably leads to happiness.
Living with integrity, particularly in these times, can be hard work and it can require courage, dedication and persistence. But in my experience, when my actions are consistent with my intentions and I am walking my talk, I feel good about myself. There is something very uplifting and strengthening about doing the right thing, even if it would be easier to choose to do the wrong thing.
Every time you act with integrity, it’s a reminder of your inherent basic goodness, your positive qualities, and your basic decency. And that makes us feel better about ourselves, whether or not we actually achieve anything. In fact, doing the right thing always feels good, even when we don’t accomplish what we set out to do because we tried and were true to ourselves.
Living with integrity is also a lot less stressful because you get to be yourself all the time. You don’t have to hide things or remember what you did or did not say or do. There’s a sense of ease and relaxation with integrity, because there’s nothing to hide. And with integrity, you will do the right thing, so you won’t have any guilt.
Conversely, being out of integrity can be very painful at an emotional level, with feelings of anxiety, fear, guilt and even failure. When there’s a gap between our deepest intentions on one side, and our actions and behaviors on the other, it can literally tear us apart.
Now I’d like to say a little about the qualities that make up integrity:
The first one I’d like to mention is self awareness. Self awareness is necessary to live with integrity because it gives us the capacity to reflect on our actions and determine whether or not they are consistent with our intentions. Without self awareness, we have no way of assessing whether we are living an undivided life or a divided one.
A second quality of integrity is the willingness to modify our actions when we become aware that they are not aligned with our ideals and values. This isn’t always easy, especially if it means going against what other people are saying or doing or against social norms. In a society built on white supremacy and privilege, people with white bodies can and should take responsibility for uncovering their implicit biases and stand with people of color. So living with integrity often requires courage.
A third quality is self acceptance. A person with integrity accepts who they are and does their best to live according to their intentions. Integrity is about wholeness and accepting ourselves just as we are, even the parts of ourselves that don’t want to live from integrity.
As Quaker educator Parker Palmer said: “By choosing integrity, I become more whole, but wholeness does not mean perfection. It means becoming more real by acknowledging the whole of who I am.”
A fourth quality of integrity is authenticity. A person with integrity is always the same, regardless of the situation they are in or the people they are with. A person with integrity doesn’t go in for flattery and they don’t insult or abuse people. There’s a genuineness, a trustworthiness and a steadiness in everything they say and do.
So here's to living with integrity. It can be challenging but it inevitably leads to happiness.