Integrity

 

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching  C.S. Lewis

                                   

 

The older I get the more in tune I am to my actions matching my being.  

There are a certain number of social niceties that are required to get along in society.  Do I always feel like being friendly to the store clerk, maybe not but we do it to make that person's day a bit more pleasant.  Even though that nicety may not match my mood of the moment it is the grease that keeps our society running and is not a rub against my integrity.  In fact, I will go as far as saying it is a function of my values to be kind and therefore that makes it authentic even though it probably isn't in the clear definition of the word.  I believe what makes the difference is intention.  My intention is kindness therefor that makes the action authentic and keeps me living in integrity.

True integrity is matching your actions with your values.  It is often intention that hints as to your action being authentic or not. Doing the right thing-not at the expense of yourself but with the intention of expressing authentic kindness or connection.

• Intention is determining the rational behind your action
• Authenticity is assuring your intention is within your values
• Integrity is taking authentic action with intention

Accomplishment

 I try to accomplish a little something every day  

  My Mom

I have done a number of surveys and tests to define my values.  The one that comes up for me loud and clear is accomplishment.  Even though I don't really want it to be one of my values.  It feels like striving without purpose.  I suppose, looking at it as a positive, it is hopeful and giving each day purpose no matter how small.  

Perhaps if I look at accomplishment as the action steps needed to follow through on other values like authenticity and connection that makes it a bit of a positive in the bigger picture. 

I know I have used accomplishment in the past as an escape mechanism.  Keeping myself so busy accomplishing random tasks that I didn't have time to think about my life.  During those times accomplishment was not a positive it was a way to hide myself, so I didn't have to address what was or was not working in my life.

I, personally, need to be very careful with accomplishment, to use it for good and not to escape real life.  Tasks are not more important than people... ever.  

As with most everything it is the intention that is the deciding factor.  If accomplishment is being used for good-aligning with other values and giving life purpose or for evil-escaping from life and hiding behind the armor of business.

Maybe, with the right intention, accomplishment is purpose-hope and grace in action.

Intention

 Our intention creates our reality    Wayne Dyer

I do believe that intention creates our reality in the sense that we need to know why we do the things that we do.  Are actions and decisions out of ego, to fit into society or what we really want? When we don't take the time to ascertain our intentions, we are at risk of following the crowd or worse... being listless, numb and stuck. 

I have not always taken the time to review my intentions during my life.  I wish I would have, perhaps I would have made better decisions and avoided some of the messiness.  Woulda Coulda Shoulda.  

I would like to try to explore intention as part of aging well. 

What is my intention in doing this blog?  First, it is just for me. I am not publishing it, but I do have the vague idea that perhaps someday I could print it out and make it into a book for my children and grandchildren and just maybe they get a little bit of wisdom out of it. My primary intention is for it to be a record of my rational for doing the things that I do.  A record of my consciousness.

I write/journal all of the time.  Journaling is a thought dump that I do to purge myself of the garbage in my head or sort out my thoughts.  I would like this blog to be a record of my presorted thoughts and intentions. To be a record of things I'm trying, paths I am willing to explore and if it works or not and if I am able to stay on the path. I want this blog to be a record of my thought process involved in making decisions, the rationale behind those decisions and affirming that the decisions are aligned with my values.  I am notorious for starting self-improvement plans and not following through.  I don't really look at this blog as self-improvement.  It's more of a way of living.  How I want to live now that I have the time to think about it and be intentional. I want to age well and by that, I mean be a person who is wise, thoughtful, positive, seeks the good, understands the bad and who lives with enthusiasm.  A non-complainer that made the best out of life, loved the good and learned from the bad.  This blog will be my record of my seeking out ways to be that person-what worked, what didn't.

If I can get very clear on my intention for my actions, why I do the things I do, I believe it will lend itself to authenticity and minimize disappointment and dissatisfaction at the same time.  Intention is clarity, clarity is meaning, meaning is purpose, purpose if a gift.

Aging Well

1.  Gratitude

2.  Intention

Interesting that neither of the above are related to physical health they are ways of thinking and being attentive that I will be able to do the rest of my life regardless of my health status.  That's a good thing. I wonder what else I will discover.