Integrity is essential to a well-lived life. Besides, to live with integrity makes life happier and more fulfilling. Isn’t that what life is all about?
“Live your life with integrity… Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.”
– Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
Live with Integrity: Ways to Develop, Build, and Live with Integrity
Integrity is a uniquely human quality. You know someone has integrity when they think, act, and speak according to their inner moral principles and code.
Does it sometimes seem like the world is engaged in lies and deceit? It can be challenging to maintain self-integrity. Yet this is so essential to living life in balance and harmony that it begs you to reconsider the required effort.
What Is Integrity?
What is integrity? It is living your life by an internal set of beliefs.
- You prize honesty. Therefore, you don’t tolerate lying. You won’t lie to simplify a situation, avoid scrutiny, or dodge extra work.
- Furthermore, you believe in doing your best. This means you refuse to cut corners, skip necessary steps, or delegate responsibilities to others.
- Also, you have compassion and empathy. You never remain silent when someone insults or denigrates others, calling them stupid, lazy, or incompetent.
- When you see injustice, you act.
- You speak up when others won’t and live your beliefs in action.
How to Live with Integrity
It sounds easy enough, right? However, living with integrity isn’t always easy. People are sometimes tempted to compromise their beliefs and deny their values.
While this may help quickly, it does nothing for your humanity. Each time you walk away from your integrity, it chips at your spirit. This negativity, denying your true self, is cumulative. While you may think you’re unscathed, you’re not.
Start Small
If you want to learn to live life with integrity, start with something small instead of making it complicated. Take an activity you do regularly and examine how you can do your best.
For example, you enjoy your morning latte or cappuccino at a local coffee shop. Yet, you quickly hurry off to be on your way. Imagine you’re on a deserted island with an espresso machine and no human being to keep you company. Wouldn’t you do almost anything to have someone to talk to?
What to Do:
- This is your opportunity to smile and greet the person next to you in line.
- Exchange pleasantries with your barista.
- How does this benefit? For one thing, you’re being authentic. Your kindness may inspire others. It also feels good.
Living with Integrity Means Doing Something
The more complicated part of living with integrity is not allowing injustice but acting. Should you remain silent about a co-worker’s negative comments about a colleague? Do you defend the individual? What is the best way to handle this situation with integrity?
For someone who lives with integrity, you know what to do. It may include the following:
What to Do:
- Stop it by saying there’s work to be done, and this is no time for pettiness.
- Praise the maligned individual’s good traits or stand up for your friend.
- You can also walk away – but this is better done after you’ve made your point about not being willing to listen to such negativity about a person you both know.
However, be aware that the vitriolic individual may badmouth you to others. Furthermore, they may lash out at you directly. This could happen, but you will be living with integrity. You are living your best life according to your beliefs and values, which always triumph over negativity.
