“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest achievement.” … Ralph Waldo Emerson

The word integrity comes from the Latin root word for integrates, meaning wholeness. Integrity goes beyond speaking our truth to include taking responsibility for how we think and feel and what we do. In that sense, integrity and authenticity are joined together. It takes strength of character and integrity to make decisions based on personal conviction rather than popular opinion. With this in mind, living in integrity means you value honesty, commitment, and trustworthiness, and through your authentic actions you inspire trust and loyalty in others.

Actually, Integrity is about authenticity; being true to who and what you are and embodying that in every aspect of your life. The first step to living with integrity and authenticity is the “knowing thyself” component of integrity. This component is what allows you to monitor and modify your behavior so that you are more effective in your life.

Becoming self-aware means knowing who and what you truly are, as opposed to how other people and society define you. In other words, being very clear about what’s important to you — your values, your passions, and your deepest interests and loves. These are both your inner flame and the compass with which you can navigate life. It also means having the courage to embrace this knowledge and to live your life accordingly is the second step.   Living authentically means you express what you truly want and value in life — when you know what you’re all about — everything you do must align with that.

The Challenge

It is important to reality test this for yourself. We cannot go around spouting love and respect for our planet and value peace and harmony if our actions are not in alignment with our words. Ask yourself:

• Do you live your life to reflect your values?

• Are you being authentic in the way that you choose to live?

• Am I expressing integrity making certain that your choices and actions align with what you truly believe and know to be true?

• Could I be simply following the crowd, doing what everyone else is doing simply because that’s just what everyone else does?

It takes complete honesty to live with integrity. For example, when we diminish ourselves; restricting our innate potentiality, aliveness and creativity then we are not living in harmony with our own essential nature. As a result, we suffer.

Our desire to fit in, to conform, to seek out experts and higher authorities is difficult to resist. All of these feelings are a normal and an unavoidable part of creating your authentic self.  However, the truth of the matter is that the only person who can be the author of you is you. It’s a daunting task, and one that is personal.

Action TIPS

• Root yourself in a moral foundation

• Be optimistic

• Live in integrity consistently …. at home, work or play

• Be Selfless

• Surround our self with a strong support system

• Communicate with others where you need to make progress

• Don’t hold secrets

• Hold yourself and others accountable

An Active and Creative Process

Authenticity is not about revealing something; it’s about building something; and that something is “you”! You were effectively born as a blank page and one of your greatest gifts is the capacity to take that page and choose what to write on it. Only you have the ability to choose what kind of person you want to be: your values, your aspirations and the principles that you want to live your life by. Your page is blank, which means you can choose to do anything and head in any direction you want to build your Authentic Self.

Often our culture and society does not encourage the free and natural expression of our Authentic Self. However, I believe we must. This internal and external conflict has caused us so many years of self-doubt, self-recrimination, fear, anxiety, and depression. It’s time to end this needless suffering once and for all.

Together with a little effort, courage and a generous amount of self-awareness, the outcome will more than justify the effort. When the conflict at the core of your very being is finally resolved — the disparity between who you really are and who you choose to be in life will harmonize with everything around you.

Peace of Mind

Living a life of integrity and authenticity rewards us with the one thing we prize above all else — peace of mind. We need only look back in our history to see a blazing trail of truly authentic people with the courage of daring to be who and what they were born to be.

Authenticity and Integrity are essential ingredients for living a life of happiness and emotional freedom. Perhaps the simple act of being who you are and living your life as a daring and radiant expression of who you really are is the greatest accomplishment of all. This is Integrity … self-honesty in action … showing up as authenticity.

Live with integrity by daring to be authentic. Dare to be true; dare to be you.

… Love and light, Christina

Order Your Copy of The Mind is The Map today!