Katherine Woodward Thomas.
This is by far one of my favorite lessons in the project. Definitely in the top two, the other being the collage. But this one was very meaningful and really hit home and one of the two so far that I have chosen to share in my blog. The type of integrity she is referring to is not moral dictates, but about are own subjective standards and to what degree you are able to live them. I think sometimes you have to live into them. It's about relative truths to your self and being true to them. This is the condensed version of the lesson. The things that really stood out to me.
"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when you know that no one will ever find out."
Oprah Winfrey
Don't lie to yourself about your capacity to separate your heart from your sexual activities. Don't hold onto fantasies that someone "will grow up and become the man you need". When we lie to ourselves we sever ourselves from the source of our power-our own inner truth. You cannot make someone love you, but you can always offer love. Own love as your own ethic, not as something to get but to give.
Tell your truth... Make a personal inventory to right your wrongs, tell your truth and bring closure to that which is no longer appropriate. The most basic measure of integrity has to do with keeping one's word. When we say things that we don't really mean, or consistently break our word to both ourselves and others, we profoundly diminish our capacity to create the lives that we are hoping to create. We want to form relationships that build upon our strengths and enhance our assets. We want unions formed upon strong foundations of respect and reliability that can withstand the true challenges of life that may come our way.
"Personal integrity is one of the most important guardians of mental health. Put simply, integrity is the absence of contradiction between what we know, what we profess and what we do."
Nathaniel Branden.
Yeah, I really liked this lesson. Remember to take personal inventory on a regular basis. Some questions of yourself that will help from the book itself.
Who do I need to contact regarding money that I owe?
Who do I need to forgive?
Who do I need to apologize to?
Who do I need to thank?
What lies have I been telling myself?
What excuses have I been making?
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