“Wisdom is knowing the right path to take…Integrity is taking it.”
Very often we hear: “you must have an integrity…, this person has an integrity, follow his example…or his integrity is corrupted, don’t be like him”.
But what “integrity” actually is, who are those people that have integrity, why integrity is so important and how can go bad or corrupted?
As the above stated, beautiful quotation and the dictionary, says: “integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles…it is a moral and righteous way of dealing with a situation or a problem”.
Thus, having an “integrity” means when someone actually acts according to the values, believes and principles they claim to hold.
There are many examples of how a person with integrity acts, and here are some of them that show the contrast between what a person with integrity will do, and what not.
1.Parents apologizing to their children
This is one of the most seldom acts of kindness and integrity that nowadays is done. By definition almost all parents think that they are smarter than their child and claim the right to be always right, just because they gave birth to them.
But they forget that the child is not a property and they also have feelings and a very long memory, especially when they react with a lot of emotions. So sometimes the parent should forget about the label “parent” and try to act as a human being instead.
When one is wrong, one is wrong, no exceptions! When we do something hurtful, negative and breaks someone else’s well-being, we should sincerely apologize to them, whether a child, or animal, or plant. If you want to be at peace and sleep a good night sleep, do apologize when it is your fault.
2. Bosses give credits for the achievements of their employees
No matter what kind of position we have, we must always act with kindness and support to all the ones that have not yet reached our level of competence.
Most of the bosses in today’s competitive world are heartless, narcissistic and so ego-centered that do not even deserve to be called a “human being”. But luckily there are some very good exceptions.
The boss should never forget that once he also was just an ordinary worker, an employee, but he possessed an extraordinary talent that was noticed from his own boss and led him to the title he now has.
So, maybe there is also someone with a great talent, or the other extreme, someone with greater vanity than his, that one day shall take over his place. Remember – no one is irreplaceable, so start respecting those who work for you, respect every human being, for if the workers are happy, so is the boss.
3. Lovers that never argue in a negative way
Now you might ask how this is possible, but it is. One can argue and confront and give a strong feedback, in a way that the things said, do not have any negative impact on the other.
When we argue it is not necessary to hurt someone else’s feelings just because ours are hurt. Being hurt just means that we have let the other person bring the worst in us, and it is actually our fault that we became so negative.
In such a moment remember to find the source of the argument, not to be caught up in a quarrel which is only the result of unacknowledged deeper issue. Try first to understand each other, than if this is not possible just leave, never stay to resolve a pointless argument just for the sake of arguing.
4. Public figures, people of importance to apologize for being wrong
Very often when someone gains little more importance in the public life suddenly gets “amnesia”. This is the case when these “persons of importance” forget who they were, where they came from.
They suddenly do not remember any of the people that have helped them along the way, and start to neglect the ones who cared enough to help them get where they are now. But one should never forget the ones who helped him up, he will need them on his way down.
5. Giving someone the chance to explain themselves
This is very important quality one should have, because almost all wars, all confrontations have happened because of great misunderstanding.
People tend to be very hasty, impatient and “all-knowing” when it comes to letting someone speak for themselves. If one is patient enough and gives the other time and chance to explain themselves why they have committed such a deed, or why they have said those words, the world shall never see another war.
All this pain and suffering we experience is because we put our self in the role of “the judge and the jury”. But remember that as you judge, so shall you be judged.
6. Selflessness
Fortunately there are more and more people that open up their hearts for service to others which is the opposite of service to self. This means that one directs his whole actions and deeds toward reaching the highest good for humanity and all living beings and is a beautiful way of living.
Examples of such selflessness are many unselfish deeds we can do in our ordinary life, not just see them in the movies: helping one with their baggage at a train station, caring someone else’s heavy books to school or just sharing your lunch or your belongings with someone less fortunate than you.
Always remember that happiness and love are the only things multiplied when shared!
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.