My life contains so many gifts from my time at lululemon. One of them is beginning the lesson of understanding the meaning of the word integrity. Long before this word became a trend in business and everyone tossed it around without any depth of knowledge to its meaning, I’d been given the opportunity for a depth of understanding like no other.
It took me so long to understand and more importantly act from this work. The document itself was tricky and the embodiment even moreso. It takes awareness daily, and is something for which I’m uncompromising in my own growth.
Self integrity is where it all begins.
Keeping your word to yourself by doing what you say you’re going to do.
For the people pleasers or rescuer-type personalities, this requires constant awareness. It is so second nature to throw plans out the window for those of another. It’s a long held value-based pattern to be the one to take care of it all, so being so clear each day on maintaining your integrity is key.
My integration began with a list of non-negotiables that happen daily for the structural & energetic integrity of my own life.
The beginning was tricky. It was more of a mental battle than anything else. It was a time where I truly learned how our logical mind can convince us of anything. LITERALLY. I’d have a plan to do something and get derailed by something that needs to get done for the family. Grocery shopping was always it. I’d abort everything to run to the grocery store, leaving myself high & dry for the sake of grabbing something I could probably buy a day or two later. Yet my mind convinces me this thing is needed - that it makes me a good person to put the needs of everyone else ahead of what was to be completed that day.
You see, the mind is such a smarty pants. It can justify anything, create reasoning and talk us into our old patterns in the blink of an eye. This is why the embodiment of principles, lessons, teachings is crucial. It’s not enough to read the book, write the quote on instagram or wear the t-shirt with the platitude. In today’s world, you must embody & act from that which you believe and teach….otherwise, eventually the entire house of cards comes tumbling down.
Without self integrity there’s a lack of foundation. The structural support is missing. The substance is easily washed away for the sake of looking good or belonging.
In addition, without integrity to oneself, how are we able to lead others? Where is the integrity in our conversations and choices we make each day?
As the old saying goes, when you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for everything.