For me, integrity is everything - it is integral to my relationship with Self and with others. If I’m not in integrity with myself, I can’t be in integrity with anyone or anything else. However, living in integrity is not always easy for me – it’s the ultimate journey.
I began this journey at an early age, as I felt challenged, stretched and pushed to my edges in regards to accepting myself. Much of this was related to my family of origin, which is in many ways why it’s the exact family I needed to be born into. Their challenging of who I am forced me to discover my authentic self and accept that self – the self that the people closest to me often told me needed to change. This felt incredibly isolating at times, but it was also a crash course in learning how to be in integrity with myself.
This dedication to being in integrity with who I truly am has greatly impacted my work – in both wonderful and challenging ways. Honoring what truly matters to me, saying no to what doesn’t feel in alignment, and speaking my truth no matter what, even if it creates pushback (and it often does), has been one of the most empowering experiences in my life and is what allowed me to create Living Wholly and move forward with Attune. And yet, this is part of a dynamic balancing act, as I don’t just want to be in integrity with myself, I also want to be in integrity with others.
This balancing act can be so tricky because, sometimes, an action that works best for me may make me fall out of integrity with another. Because of this, I’m often in a state of renegotiation, trying to find the middle ground. I still haven’t found a clear map to that elusive middle ground, but I’ve found that having a plan around integrity is crucial. And in so many ways, the base of that plan is simply being aware of integrity - being aware of how it feels when I’m in and out of it, how it feels when I’m nearing a decision that is guiding me towards integrity, and vice versa. I feel that as long as I stay aware, I can never veer too far off the path.
Part of this awareness is realizing that everything kind of falls apart when integrity isn’t part of the equation. When I’m breaking my word to people, when people are doing the same to me, when I’m saying yes to things that are really no's, and when I’m juggling so much I can’t possibly stay in integrity with all my commitments, work, health, relationships and life in general suffers. There’s no escaping the power of integrity. And as frustrating as that can be, it’s also such a gift, because without integrity we can’t be whole - we can’t truly feel good about living in our skin.
While we all take different paths to living a life of integrity, these are a few ways I stay on the path to my true North.
I truly believe that we all came here to heal, evolve and uplift, and an essential part of fulfilling this calling is getting into greater integrity with all aspects of our lives. There’s so much liberation in integrity, and when we tap into that freedom all corners of our lives blossom in extraordinary ways. I’m dedicated to seeking greater peace every day of my life.
This dedication to living a life of integrity is a driving force behind our new #timetoattune campaign, as it’s all about how our minds, bodies and souls call us forward to be in integrity.To support us in this endeavor, many of the Attune speakers will be releasing videos about what calls them to shift their lifestyle - to wake up, to attune, to be in integrity. I would also like to invite you to share pieces of your journey of integrity and attunement, as it might just spark a profound shift is another’s journey. Let’s walk this path together.
with great love + integrity,
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maria guiza
August 21, 2019
Thanks for sharing. What you have written has very much to do with the path I have started and the efforts to keep my self on track. That integrity that does not go well with the needs of the people closest to me … you put it so well, your thoughts helps me realize the importance of an easy does it attitude. I appreciate your input.