Last week we talked about the importance of accountability. This is crucial in our daily lives, ESPECIALLY when we strive to cultivate new and exciting relationships. Whether it be a romantic relationship, or professional one, having accountability is paramount.

Alongside that, is a key word: INTEGRITY.

WHAT IS INTEGRITY?

Integrity is defined as having strong moral values and ethics in their lives. This means holding a standard of right and wrong in the person’s perspective. I like this idea because there are too many people, young people like myself, who believe that being integral is not a necessary thing anymore.

Most people think lying and cheating their way to the “good life” is the right thing. It is sad because integrity isn’t really a conversation in schools nor is it part of the curriculum!

WHY IS INTEGRITY SO IMPORTANT?

Integrity in our lives creates the trustworthiness, its as simple as that. If I started working at a grocery store, and began stealing fruits from the fruit isle… do you think the owner would trust me after that breach of INTEGRITY? No, most likely not.

Integrity is bar far one of the most critical of COMMODITIES nowadays. In a world where the only way to win is to “beat others” to the spot… having integrity shines through like a big lighthouse on a foggy day. Trust me, integrity WILL get you and anyone who embraces it noticed in any area of life.

INTEGRITY BUILDS AND DEFINES CHARACTER

Most importantly, character is built when integrity is held to a high standard. If one focuses on being integral, then the character of purity and trustworthiness becomes clear.

After all, having CHARACTER means doing the right thing when nobody is watching. By cultivating integrity, we can begin to allow our character to shine. This is because when we come from a spirit of integrity, we do not have to LIE to anyone to make them believe that we are “good” when in reality we are “bad” without behaviors and attitudes.

Let us say that you and I are at a restaurant. Imagine that we are seated for dinner and immediately something catches my eye on the table…. the salt and pepper shakers. They are made of pure crystal and are so beautiful that I say, “wow these are so amazing, I am sure my mother would love to have these on the kitchen table back home!” Its no surprise that you would seriously question my integrity.

I am stealing! There is no bigger tell-tale of character and integrity than stealing from an establishment. Stealing and lying are the biggest red flags we can spot when it comes to integrity and trustworthiness.

After grabbing the salt and pepper shakers… you have two options: stop me, and make me put it back OR continue to play along as nothing happened, so not to call any attention and get in trouble alongside me. Now, THIS is the interesting part. One small decision could lead you to compromise your integrity. I have already tossed integrity out the back window, but I would be dragging you along with me, if you just “played along” and allowed me to grab the salt and pepper shakers then tell the waiter that there never were any to begin with.

See, lying never really leads anywhere in life. Being integral WILL. Now, salt and pepper shakers definitely might not seem like much, but it is a way of showing what it means to stay true to the VALUES of not stealing or lying that were pressed upon us by our parents (hopefully).

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No matter what happens, it is crucial to remember integrity not only in your life, but examine the examples of others. Question the levels of integrity of those closest to you. Now, I am not saying go and interrogate and distrust your friends! Just realize, that many of those playful “just kidding” jokes and actions might be leading to a deeper meaning. This is especially crucial when we consider ourselves, our levels of integrity, and trustworthiness.