in·teg·ri·ty

Integrity is more than how others perceive you when you do what you say you will do and stick to your truth; it is how you feel when you do so. I feel icky when I don’t show up or break a promise because I just did not “feel” like showing up, or I want to watch an extra 30 minutes of Netflix. I do not sleep well when I realize I did not stick to my morals and values throughout the day. For me, not embracing integrity leads to regret. It leads to stagnancy and a lack of personal growth.

Of course, it is okay to change your mind if something does not align with your values or truth. I have changed my mind many times because something didn’t sit right with me, or I realized that it might not be best for my sobriety/mental health, but I am talking about when I bail on something because my old behaviors creep back in. Those character defects; laziness, avoidance, isolation, slothfulness, etc.

Having integrity is vital to recovery from substances and to one’s mental health. Building meaningful relationships with others is challenging when we do not build trust through consistency. Integrity also helps us resist negative temptations if we are deeply connected to our moral compass. Lastly, integrity allows us to remain honest with ourselves about where we are in our recovery journey or assess how bad things have become if we are early on. Integrity involves being honest with oneself and accepting responsibility when we fall short.

I’ve noticed that not only do my relationships improve when I do what I say I am going to do, but so does my self-worth and self-esteem. My light shines brighter when I do what I say I will do, and when I break my promises, my light goes out.

For more tips on how to keep or build integrity, watch this short YouTube clip.