Excerpt

Integrity implies an integration or alignment of Body, Mind, Spirit, and Emotions and to be out of integrity with ourselves simply means that one or more of these areas of our lives are either out of balance or no longer in alignment with our deepest values and dreams.

Each of us has within us a compass of accountability that points us in the direction of where we may be out of integrity or out of balance within ourselves: this is graciously given to us in the form of negative emotions. In other words, at some level, we are accountable to ourselves and to our own standard of integrity, whatever that may be, and when we are out of integrity with ourselves our internal guidance system will hold us accountable by offering a negative emotion to get our attention. The particular negative emotion we are feeling can serve as a compass to point us in the direction we need to go to get back on track and back into integrity with ourselves. No one can deny that pain beckons presence. When we are in pain, we have no choice but to be present and to pay attention to that which is causing us pain. Pain felt as negative emotion can be viewed as one of the greatest motivators and our greatest ally toward positive change, as we have a tendency to do just about anything to stop or avoid pain. Often times, looking back, I have found that positive change was created by default, in service to stopping pain.

Our negative emotions are not here to punish us, but rather to serve us by showing us where we may be off course based on what we want to do and who we want to be on a soul level. When we listen to, learn from, and take action on a negative emotion, it is then served and frees us from its hold, turning into a positive expression of its former self. Every emotion was meant to serve if only to point us ultimately towards that which we desire more clearly. Negative emotions often times are simply the balancing force or opposite expression to that which we most desire.

When we live our lives in alignment with our own standard of integrity and are guided by the principles of honesty, respect, trust, and love, a life of peace, happiness and harmony will ensue.