Integrity is powerful, don't you think? It's powerful because it makes us a free agent, makes us independent of negative influence. We know the feeling of that power. We've experienced it, we've enjoyed it, we value it.
Our integrity gives us the courage to say no to a wrong behavior, to doing something harmful or awful, something that is regrettable and diminishing. It gives us the strength to say no to being less than we want to be, less than we can be, less than we inherently are. It gives us the strength to say yes to what is in our heart, to our goodness, to our conscience, to our potential.
I want us to remember that integrity is also a habit. Integrity can be developed. It can be strengthened. It can be practiced -- consciously, deliberately. It can be our way of living, our way of doing life, our way of being.
I think living with integrity comes from a place deep within us. I think it comes from and informs our soul. It affects everything we do -- every interaction, every word, every relationship, every choice we make -- every day. It moves us forward. Toward what is better, what is productive, what is right. Toward all that it means to be human. Toward making a contribution to the world, to ourselves, to our love ones, to an outcome.
Imagine the world with more integrity in it. It would be heavenly, wouldn't it?