CartThere are 4 steps to consciously manifesting the life you want: visualizing it, being present, having integrity in your words, and consistently applying yourself. Today I am going to write about having integrity in your words, since it is a step that I am super passionate about and the step that I think is overlooked the most.
Webster defines integrity as: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values. I love what Don Miguel Ruiz (author of The Four Agreements and The Mastery of Love and a whole bunch of other amazing books) has to say about this: “Our power of creation is the word. The word is the most powerful tool that humans possess. It is the tool of magic.” Tool of magic? Awesome. I want some of that!
To have integrity (firm adherence to a code of especially moral values) in our words (our tools of magic) means that we: speak kindly about ourselves and others, speak honestly, and back our words up with actions that support them. I believe that our words become “tools of magic” ONLY when we back them up with some rockin’ ACTION.
Here’s what I mean: when you tell yourself, or someone else, that you are going to do something, an agreement is created. It was created from your powerful tool of words. Once this agreement is made, it is your responsibility, your sweet little creation to be nurtured and loved. And therefore, following through on this agreement until completion is a matter of integrity. When fulfilled, it supports the power of our words and our ability to trust ourselves. However, when we don’t keep our agreements, our sweet little creation is broken and it weakens the strength of our word. The universe, our friends, and we ourselves lose faith because we didn’t do what we said we would do.
You matter. The agreements you make with other people, big and small, matter. The world doesn’t really care if you think you matter (hopefully you do, though this is another conversation); it just cares that you act like you matter. Meaning, you show up when you say you are going to, you do what you say you are going to do, you complete what you say you are going to complete. Don’t wait until you feel like you make a difference in the world – just start showing up and having integrity in your words. The more you just keep on truckin’ in this direction, you will start to know that you matter.
Here’s an example: A friend from work is having a party and you are invited. You RSVP that you will go, but then as the day progresses, you start getting tired, and don’t feeling like going to a party. Instead of going to the party, you go home, read a book and go to bed. This is where you assume that you don’t matter, that the party will be fun without you, that your friend wouldn’t have had that much time for you anyway, etc. The excuses are endless. However, you don’t know! You could have been the only person that had RSVP’ed. Yes, they could be wanting to play a board game and need just one more person, or your friend could have just really wanted, and expected, you to be there and be disappointed. Regardless of the outcome of your not showing up – you have broken an agreement and trust has been lost, even if just a small amount.
The universe (or whatever you want to call it) supports us when have integrity in our words. Trust is gained and our words become powerful tools of creation. We are able to speak our intended result and powers align to support that, because we have again and again demonstrated that when we say something is going to be, it IS.
When we keep our agreements, life works. However, none of us are perfect and we should not expect that from ourselves. Next week I will discuss what to do when you break your word. Until then, I would love to hear from you in the comments below about a time you have seen your words act as tools of magic.
With love,
Briana Borten, Founder of The Dragontree
