Integrity

What does it mean to be in integrity?  This has come up for me recently.  Sometimes I have found it a struggle to follow through to deliver what I have promised. Other times, I have found myself saying the “spiel” by rote without even actually thinking about what I was saying. How can we be believed when we are not being congruent with actions, beliefs and then our word.

 Are we able to achieve what we want whilst being true to the essence of who we are? 

 I’ve decided to look into this. Let’s start at the source:  What does it actually mean?

“INTEGRITY | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary

Oct 16, 2019 - integrity noun [U] (HONESTY) ... the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change: ... Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.”

 And: 

“Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions.”  Wikipedia

For instance, in any type of work or business for a person to be in integrity has the following:  

Firstly; be skilled at your trade.  Have the correct training, have the right amount of practice to have it perfected. 

Secondly; what exactly does your client want?  Listen, ask specific questions.

Thirdly; give them what they want with a little more of than they expect.  Perhaps some information or knowledge from your own expertise that goes above and beyond their requirements to assist them with the above.  

Do you truly believe in what you are doing as a business/practice or what you are selling etc?  If you don’t believe in it yourself, people will pick that up at some level.

“All paths lead to the same goal: to convey to others what we are”. Pablo Neruda

Fourthly, have answers ready.  Know all you can about what it is you are sharing with others. When you know rather than speculate you are coming from a place of surety.  This will come through as that you are to be trusted with your product or service and as a person.

The above can absolutely be transferred to life situations.

The challenge could be just a matter of foresight or forethought.  In that you know all that is required to be done etc ... and then you’re in a hurry or you just want to get that other thing done ... and you skip a couple of steps ... So... you (or I) have a chance to learn a valuable lesson!!! 

Let’s have a look at the Seventh Huna Philosophy - Pono:-

7. PONO – Effectiveness is the Measure of Truth – I am positive

The end doesn’t justify the means!  What is important for us to feel congruent is that how we go about achieving is from a place that truly resonates within our being.  We want to feel that when our goal is reached that we are truly happy to be there in that moment and with how we arrived there. That we are achieving with honour. The rest will follow. 

To delve deeper, we could look at what are you thinking (unconsciously if you can get there).  Where does that thinking come from? Is it your own thinking or is it a childhood belief that no longer serves you.  Change that thinking to your own.  There are so many different ways to do things?  The choice is yours.

When you come from integrity/Pono, you are able to be peaceful with what you are doing, rather than stressed or frustrated or even angry.  These emotions take a lot of energy and can put a toll on our physical bodies and emotional and mental states.

When you just do from You, everything flows – others receive and when that happens, you also receive.  Your gift is peace of mind.