Integrity what does it mean to you?
Integrity.
The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
The state of being whole and undivided.
The condition of being unified or sound in construction
Internally strong. You can not act dishonestly.
Being honest with yourself.
Consider the consequences of failing to identify our true selves. Consider a life never expressing who you are?
According to Horney (1950), when a person's lived life and real self are significantly different, they are likely to feel alienated from themselves. Even if the person is successful in their work, pursuits or efforts and obtains external benefits,
Here are some examples of scenarios that can create someone to seperate from their true selves.
Pressure from parents to pursue a prestigious career in law, even though the line of work does not inspire you.
A famous athlete has confused their true self with their like for fame, prestige, and social recognition.
Someone might rather travel the world and have fun, but their family persuades them to find a husband and settle down, buy a house, start a family.
A son wants to establish his own business, but is pressured into taking over the family company.
We can't live in alignment with our true selves while trying to make sense of a why we aren't happy or why we do not feel fulfilled. This energy of denying and distorting our experiences can lead to psychological states and disorders like depression (Waterman et al., 2010).
So where do you start? What can you step towards, to become your true self?
Determine your Drifts.
Pay great attention to the activities you naturally enjoy doing. You can let your genuine self emerge from your genetic makeup, environment, and experiences if you pay attention to the subconscious pull of these activities (Pagedar, 2021).
Our drifts tend to surface when the mind is still, so set aside some time to meditate or practise relaxation techniques on a peaceful day, not just when you're stressed.
Try to identify activities that put you in a feeling of flow, as these can steer you in the direction of who you are and your strengths. Consider using a strengths-finding activity to determine which tasks you have a natural affinity or knack for.
Consider what activities are genuinely stimulating to you. These are the activities you would do if you didn't have any external rewards, such as money or other people's praise.
Take note of moments when you feel a strong feeling of personal responsibility to complete a task or when you have a unique perspective on how something should be completed.
Do not be corrupted by what society is telling you to be.
Stand with strong moral principle, head held high stating -this is how I need and want to spend my time.
Feel whole, complete, and in union with your true self.
Be honest with yourself. You deserve it.