Finding Your Way: Real Life-Coaching Solutions for Real People: Honesty
Let's Be Honest
Honesty and Integrity
I hear the word "integrity" thrown around a lot, so I'd like to take a moment to talk about the difference between living with integrity, and being honest with yourself.
Integrity in day-to-day life is extremely important. Integrity means doing what you say you're going to do, showing up and getting the job done, and keeping your word. Integrity makes work, relationships, and life in general much easier.
While people talk a lot about integrity, it is not always evident in the workplace, or in social situations. Integrity basically means living your life with good moral principles, and doing no harm to others.
Being honest with yourself is much different. You can have integrity at work, being honest with your boss, being dependable, reliable and have strong moral fiber. You can show up in your relationships with integrity. You can get through your life with integrity, without ever being honest with yourself.
Who are you on the inside? Who are you and how did you get to this place? How did you get yourself into this mess, and how are you going to get out of it? To answer these questions, you must decide to be honest with yourself. Nothing else works.
How Did I Get Here?
It's Time to Get Real
You may find yourself, at times, looking around you, wondering how you got here. Well, every choice you've made up to this point brought you here. Every thought, every word, every action. It all brought you to this moment.
If you are ready for changes in your life, then it's time to for honesty. Be real about what you've done in the past, to create the life you have today. Good or bad, this isn't about making yourself feel terrible. It's about empowering yourself to make changes to create the life you love.
Being honest with yourself covers just about every single situation you face in your life. You can have integrity, and still be very overweight. Are you ready to be honest about why you are overweight?
You can have integrity and still be in debt, or in a bad relationship, or have a problem with swearing. Whatever the issues are that you face in your personal life, you can't change them until you are ready to be honest.
Take a deep breath. Look at yourself in the mirror. Be honest about where you are right now and what you want to change.
Taking Responsibility
Take Charge of What You THINK, SAY, and DO
Stop Blaming and Complaining
Don't Take Things Personally
Take Charge of Your Own Happiness
Be Here Now
Set Your Intentions Daily
Ways to Make a Change
A recent article on Thrive Global gives several suggestions for taking responsibility for your own life. This article goes in depth with several suggestions for taking control. You can read it here:
9 Ways to Take Responsibility for Your Life
Once you are honest with yourself, you realize that you are not a victim of your life. You are the creator of your destiny. You can make positive changes, once you decide that you are in charge.
The first step is to decide you want something to change. Once you change your mindset, then you can change anything.
When you've decided what you want to change, don't think in terms of eliminating something. Rather imagine creating something new and better. Don't focus on being overweight. Focus on being healthy. Do things that healthy people would do. Don't focus on financial lack. Focus on abundance. Do things that responsible people with savings would do. Focus on the good you want to create in your life.
You Create Your Dream
Just One Thing
This week, think of one way to move in a different direction. You didn't get where you are all at once. You got here one decision at a time. In the same way, you can move your life in a different direction.
Be kind to yourself and to the people you love. Make one change today. Be gentle with yourself and move in the direction of where you'd like to be. Change is difficult, and takes time. In the next breath, you have an opportunity to be exactly what you want to be. Each moment offers a chance for you to be exactly what you want.
Namaste, friends
Real Life Coaching for Real People
Up Next: Celebrating Success
To read the PREVIOUS article in this series,
CLICK HERE: Priorities
To read the NEXT article in this series,
CLICK HERE: Celebrating Success
© 2019 Deborah Reno
Comments
AUTHORThanks so much for the input Peggy.
I appreciate you reading and commenting on the article.
Wish you all the best.
Namaste
- AUTHOR
Tim, thanks for your kind comments, and for taking the time to read the article.
I appreciate you.
- AUTHOR
Bill, I really appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to my article.
And I think you are absolutely correct, it is difficult to be honest with oneself, but so worth it.
Namaste
As you so well pointed out, there is an important difference between integrity and honesty. Both are important. I liked your video which stressed taking one breath and one day at a time in order to make changes in our lives. Good advice!
Hi, Deborah,
I enjoyed reading your article. I would agree with you on the important distinctions between integrity and honesty. In fact, some psychological theories would suggest that is at the heart of many of our troubles as humans-truly being honest with ourselves.
great presentation in your video, too.
Much respect and admiration,
Tim
It took me a long time to be honest with myself, but it was worth the wait. Excellent suggestions here!
- AUTHOR
Thanks for the comments Eric.
You are absolutely, in any given moment, we can begin again.
I appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment.
Namaste
Wonderfully written. So right "When you've decided what you want to change, don't think in terms of eliminating something. Rather imagine creating something new and better."
I can start my day over any time I want!
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