Integrity to Self...

I had something else entirely I wanted to write about today - running goals. But sometimes you just gotta go with the flow, right?

I was super excited to find out that I had been chosen to participate in a year-long leadership program where I work that started in January of this year. There are about 20 of us that were chosen by the Administration to be in the very first cohort of this program, and I was one of those selected! It's a huge opportunity and considering that one of my goals for 2016 is to position myself at work for a promotion, this leadership program fits very nicely with that goal. So we meet twice a month for the first 5 months, then get June and July off (I imagine we will have some homework or projects to do during this time), and then spend the final 5 months of the year meeting monthly as we are implementing everything we learned during the first half of the year. It's an exciting time, indeed!! Okay, so now that we have that background out of the way let me dive into what's on my mind: Integrity.

We all know that quote right there, right? Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching...and that's definitely a huge part of integrity for sure!! It's absolutely important that you are doing the right thing regardless of whether anyone sees it or not. Or how about this one:

So another big piece of integrity is doing what you say you'll do, right? But one of the things this class has really gotten me to think about is integrity to MYSELF. Yes, I do pretty well in maintaining my integrity with others. I will usually do what I say I'm going to do, for the most part; but will definitely take ownership when I can't follow through on a promise or commitment of my time. I also live a right life as I don't cheat or steal and all that good stuff. But do I keep my word to myself????

When I say that I'm going to lose weight as one of my goals, am I saying that with integrity behind it because the thing I'm saying is lining up with the things I do? Or when I say I'm going to blog consistently as one of my goals, same principle - is it in alignment between say and do? Hmmmmm...definitely makes me think! And definitely makes me realize that no, I'm absolutely not living with integrity in some aspects of my life. When I set a goal and then do absolutely nothing to realize that goal I am basically removing integrity from the situation. Makes sense, no??

So basically when I say this year that I'm going to lose weight, I am really trying to put some integrity behind that by making choices that truly REFLECT that commitment to myself. Because really, a goal is a commitment, correct? And when you are committed to something you show it through your actions, right? I can't say I'm committed to my goals if I'm not proving it through my actions.

So here I am - re-committing myself to my goals on a daily basis and not just saying - but DOING!! Because talk is cheap and if all I do is say I'm going to accomplish a goal and I don't put action into it, then I'm not living with integrity. And the law of integrity says that if you live outside of integrity you will have consequences. Mainly, my word becomes less than a promise. It becomes something that is only followed through on when it is convenient and that's not the life I want to lead. I want to be someone that says what they are going to do and DOES IT. I want people to know that if I've put my mind to something, I will accomplish it. I want people to know that when I give my word - even if it is just to myself - that it MEANS something.

Question: Are you living with integrity in all areas of your life, including the promises you make to yourself? How are you taking action steps towards the commitments you have made to YOU?