I believe in the importance of holding onto your integrity despite all else. I believe in this strongly and live by it day in and day out, because one thing that all people have in common is the need to face obstacles in life, regardless of how small or large. Growing up I was faced with all kinds of obstacles. These challenges varied from basic and small inconveniences that almost anyone may face such as arguments with friends or a first heartbreak. Other obstacles I faced were more impactful such as loved ones battling illnesses and substance abuse, as well as losing people close to me.
So you may be wondering what correlation any of this holds to integrity. What I learned through some of my most challenging times is that remaining a kind hearted person, holding on to your morals and values, and putting out good energy are all key things we have control over that will help us through times that seem temporarily impossible to get through. There comes times in our lives where things happen that seem to be completely unfair and may leave us wondering what the deeper reason behind it all could possibly be. With that being said, I have personally found myself feeling emotions of anger and bitterness towards the world around me as a result of what has felt like the overwhelming negative occurrences I have been faced with, as if I could never just get a break. However, in these times of weakness and hardship I have had clarity and taken on different perspectives as it is important to understand that everyone has a story. In the least humorous way possible of mentioning this saying, “the world does not revolve around you,” I find it immensely important to understand and live by.
The first step to this is understanding that behind a familiar face, no matter how familiar it may be, there is a world of unknown. We could only know so much about a person, and that is whatever that individual allows us to know. I myself, for example, have always been the type to avoid the pity party, I tend to keep my personal life personal. In understanding this, our own challenges in life can suddenly become less heavy, or on the contrary, can remain just as devastating. However, it is unknown. This concept has taught me greatly to count my blessings, take the bad with the good in life, and remain a good person, because I do believe that life is full circle and what goes around will sooner or later come back to you.