Doing The Right Thing

The writer C.S. Lewis didn’t just give us The chronicles of Narnia, but also one of my favorite quotes, “Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.”

In this age of social media, many people do things because they think it could make them look good for their followers, but if you are truly interested in being a better person, the best time to practice is when nobody is around. In fact, I would say that the first step to integrity, which is honesty with yourself and with others, is to start working on it exactly when there is nobody else around.

Below, I discuss how to start practicing integrity, which actually begins with an internal process, and then trickles down to influence those around you.

If you wish to read more about my work, please visit my website and learn more about gender neutral shoes and gender neutral fashion brand or follow my Instagram.

The first step to being honest is to be honest with yourself. That means you have to know the truth of what’s inside your heart, and not just attempt to portray yourself as a certain way. If there are definite things that you feel discomfort about, then you should address them immediately so they stop cluttering up your life - these are the aspects you need to work on. If there are things that you feel neutral about, then don’t worry about them for now, and instead focus on the parts of your life that make you feel bad.

Once you have identified what makes you uncomfortable and what doesn’t, it is time to be honest with others. This means sharing these things with people you trust so they can help you through it. That way, you don’t have to worry about acting in an inconsistent manner since your friends know what goes on inside your head. If at first you are uncomfortable doing this, then start by telling them little bits and pieces until you feel comfortable enough to share everything. Eventually you should be able to be as open as possible with those around you because that is how they can help you grow as a person.

The last step to being honest with yourself and others is practicing your newfound integrity whenever an opportunity arises. If someone asks something of you, don’t think about the other ways it could be beneficial for you, but instead think about how it will benefit them. This may seem difficult at first, since humans are naturally selfish beings, but the more you do this, the easier it becomes to put others before yourself.

When people start to see you as a person with integrity that can be counted on in any situation, that starts to have a positive effect on your reputation. With an improved reputation, lots of things in life become easier, including your relationships and finding the perfect job. The smallest changes you make in your life could have huge long-term consequences.

Think about your commitments

People with integrity don’t like to let others down, but this does not mean saying yes to everything. Remember, if you have integrity, your word is your bond. So, before you commit to anything, be sure that you can deliver. If there is a good chance that you cannot stick to your commitment, then don’t make that commitment. Those around you will probably appreciate your honesty if you state that you would really like to help them, but your situation doesn’t allow you to make the commitment. Sometimes, it takes more integrity to say no than to say yes.

The great thing about doing the right thing is that practice makes perfect. At first, it may seem like a chore, but soon, it becomes second nature; after all, we are creatures of habit.