2023-10-11 Trusting Yourself¶
One of the reasons that I love teaching is that I learn a lot about myself through watching the kids around me succeed and fail. Something that I have learnt about recently is integrity; doing what I say I will do. Every teacher knows more than one student who promises the world but delivers very little. That age-old saying comes to mind: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".
The thing that erodes one's sense of integrity the most is not following through on what you set out to do. And here I am not talking about the things that you promised to other people, but rather what you set out to do yourself. How many times have I promised to do more garden work on Sunday but every Sunday when gardening time comes around, I do not follow through? Or how many times have I made the snap decision to pray and meditate daily?
I am finding that the key to building one's integrity is brutal honesty with oneself. Take extra time when making decisions to really think about what you are committing to and if you commit to this thing, what it would mean you would now have to give up. Are you making this decision out of guilt? Are you making this decision for someone else? Armed with this information it is much easier to say "No, that is not something that I will be able to sustain" or "Yes, I am ready to take on this challenge".
This is the discipline of self-integrity, where your actions align with your words. It's about letting your "yes" mean yes and your "no" mean no, just as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. When you consistently meet the expectations you set for yourself, you'll notice a remarkable transformation in your self-esteem and that you can indeed achieve what you set out to do. These are the kingdom builders we need to be.
Love,
Cliff