Be True To Your Life Values
A person of integrity stands true to their moral and ethical values at all times, no matter the circumstance or who is watching them. They stand strong to their personal principles and always act ethically and morally. To me, this is one of the most important attributes of a good person and is a paramount quality for a good leader. In fact, the best leaders are those who do not simply have the title but naturally influence others by living from a strong set of personal principles and step up to help and encourage even in the most difficult of times.
There are people in this world that seem to change their colors like a chameleon, altering themselves constantly for some personal gain or interest. There are others that seem to easily shed their skin like a snake. They lie to themselves that the rest of the world can not see who they really are but with each shed, the snakeskin is always left behind as a remnant of their past indiscretion. These remnants can be easily found by others. The snake may shed its skin thinking itself fresh and renewed but people can still see that at its core, a snake is a snake. Don’t be a chameleon and don’t be a snake. Be a person who knows themselves and lives each day at home, at work, with friends, with partners as their true self. Commit to life values that we all know to be paramount – honesty, kindness, respect, and consistency of character. If you make an honest mistake, own up to it. Take agency and accountability for all of your life decisions and don’t blame other people or outer circumstances for your poor decisions or unethical behavior.
When you stray from your life values this can have a ripple effect on everyone around you and damaging consequences. If you think people can not feel disingenuous behavior or see the inconsistencies of your character, you are wrong. People have a deeper sense and intuition about others and an ingrained talent to spot those who have a self-serving or deceitful nature. There is just so long you can fool those around you when you act in an incongruent manner. We have all been around someone who makes us feel uncomfortable and a sense that this person is not who they say they are – and trust me if you have felt that, you were right. If you are reading this blog, you are undoubtedly a person who is interested in growing, evolving, and striving to be a better version of yourself. My advice to you is to cultivate an unshakeable set of life values that can guide you in all your decision making from narrowing down your list of life priorities to having a deep sense of self that guides you in your most difficult times. If you live out these values day to day and vow to always be a person of high integrity, then you are already winning. The world has a way of rewarding those who are true to their highest self and virtues and unfortunately, the adverse is true as well.
This post is dedicated to my Father who is a constant inspiration and embodies what it is like to live a life of high integrity with love for his family and a deep sense of moral value and my soul sister Kristin who is walking beside me on the same path and has taught me to love and always be true to myself. Happy Birthday to two of my favorite people.