What is it to be a person of integrity? It means to surrender to the now, to be one, to be ourself, to be real. Authentic! Of Nature! Self sovereign!

Whenever we state our truth in word, action, thought or otherwise, we empower ourselves by aligning with our personal code of conduct - what we decide is right for us or wrong for us. We make our own decisions and operate with integrity in terms of our commitments to specific kinds of ends, principles and ideals. This care of self allows us to hold steadfastly true to our commitments, rather than ordering and endorsing desires.

When we live with integrity we have no reason to lie. We always win when we reduce confusion about how we feel. Life is uncomplicated and less stressful. It is much easier to live life when we are open and truthful because there is nothing to hide.

There are plethora of human characteristics such as capriciousness, wantonness, triviality, disintegration, weakness of will, self deception, self-ignorance, mendacity, hypocrisy, arrogance (spiritual arrogance), dogmatism, fanaticism, monomania, meglomania, preciousness, sanctimoniousness, rigidity and indifference that drive us to moral and spiritual failure. All these traits can defeat integrity in so far as they undermine and suppress attempts to critically assess and balance desires, commitments, wishes, changing goals and other factors of being. A person of integrity will always find a balance point between the excesses of each one of these vices, or traits or practices that undermines spiritual integrity.

There are also many defeaters of integrity who try to waiver us from operating in our truth. For instance so-called experts seek to further their own agendas by persuading and manipulating with half truths to get us to do what they want. The same idea applies to our family, spouse and friends. Oftentimes inexperience succumbs to those who appear more knowing and powerful than ourselves, which causes us to live out of alignment with our truth. Whenever we abandon what we know to be true and act from the strongest current desire of the moment, without deliberation or discrimination as to what desire is more or less worthy, we act without integrity. Each time we go against our inner knowing we lose a little more of ourselves. Nothing pulls us further out of alignment and makes us more miserable than "selling ourselves out" and failing to stick to our integrity.

When we operate with personal integrity, we agree or disagree simply based on what we know to be true, not over what others want us to believe. We know the truth as it is an instant impression that when we can feel and perhaps even see.

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Desiderata
by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it's a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him or her to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

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A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said. Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust * If you plant goodness, you will reap friends * If you plant humility, you will reap greatness * If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment * If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective * If you plant hard work, you will reap success * If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation * If you plant faith, you will reap a harvest

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

"Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back"