Building Integrity
Setting a lifestyle of
authenticity can affect everything about you,your personal sphere as well as
your family and business obligations.
Resolving to have a lifestyle
of integrity is a decision that will affect all aspects of your daily dealings,
your activities on a personal level as well as on behalf of your family and
business.
It all starts with the desire
to take a self-inventory to discover needs you're not currently fulfilling
in your life and then deciding to take actions to change this.
Firstly, this process
involves declaring an intention that you follow through on with appropriate
commitments and actions. Here are some steps to help build your Integrity:
1. Keeping to the Promises
You Made.
A promise is the first part
of a decision, a responsibility that you have chosen to take on. When you do
not follow through on your promises, you have lost focus and may fail at
fulfilling your responsibilities. Be sensible in maintaining and fulfilling
your obligations in a timely manner.
Also remember that there is
enough time for you devote moments for yourself and to spend occasions with
family and loved ones. Enjoy life before overcommitting to tasks that take you
away from how you would like to enjoy your life.
2.Honesty in your
communications.
Practising integrity in your
communications means saying what you are going to do and then doing so. People
understand that life is filled with challenges. When you provide honest
communication to others about your obligations and why something can (or can’t)
happen in the time frame promised, they will most likely understand.
Try not to overcommit to
please others. This will lead to a loss of integrity and failed relationships.
3. Keep yourself and your
environment clean and organized.
This begins with the
recognition that you are the core of your business. It’s
difficult to exercise influence in the other areas of your life if you don’t
make the time every day to be self-aware of your environment.
Do the little things that you
have been meaning to do for yourself. When is the last time that you made time
to read a book? What happened to that project you started three years ago and
never finished? What's the fate of the one thing you're passionate about but
have been too busy to do while making a living?
Organize the clutter and
clear your slate by getting rid of the things around you that detract from your
focus. Look at the papers around your desk, mail on the table and tidy up (and
discard) the extra things scattered in your home that you have always thought
to rid yourself of.
4. Stay focused.
Have you ever noticed when
your personal care vanishes that everything around you starts to slip as well?
Finding the balance in your
life to maintain yourself, your household and your business is difficult. I
have found that making lists and setting alarms on my phone or online calendar
keep me on track even when the clock tries to get the best of me. Notifying
people important to you (friends, family and colleagues) of your commitments
will help keep you accountable.
5. Allow for the proper
influences.
To increase your integrity,
surround yourself with people you admire. If you don’t
feel you can engage personally with people of influence, read books or listen
to motivational seminars to help raise your awareness in the right direction.
What you feed your mind affects what you project outward. Your integrity in
life is affected by your inputs.
The intention here is for you
to build self-awareness but not for undue self-scrutiny or judgment.
You don’t
need to be perfect and it is OK to make mistakes. Commit to make decisions to
set things right or just start over again.
Decide to make these commitments in these
small ways and you’ll find yourself building your integrity and
strengthening relationships.
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