integrity is happiness

If you want happiness, you must practice integrity — 

But if you want to practice integrity, you’ll need to understand its importance.

And if you want to understand its importance, you must remember what it is to find out you’ve been told a lie.

You must remember what it is to be with the confusion that comes from a lie, the confusion that keeps you from the thing you fear most — betrayal. 

You must remember what it is for trust to break and for you to remain alone in the grieving of it.

You must remember what it is to question all of the things you’ve been told, for fear that they too could be mistruth.

You must remember what it is to be on your tippy toes, for fear that another lie will come again.

If you want to practice integrity, you must tell the truth — 

You must speak it — even if costs you someone or everything.

You must be willing to lose things — your image, relationships, and pleasure.

You must ask yourself: what is worse than pretending I am any different than I really am?

You must know that the answer will always be this: nothing.

If you want to tell the truth, you must become acquainted with discomfort — 

You must remain in the humiliation of shame, the fear of not being liked or rejected. 

You must be willing to be humbled by the truth of who you are.

You must know that it will not always be easy, but if it allows you to practice integrity, it will always be worth it.

If you want happiness, you must practice integrity.

You must be willing to risk everything for it.

Only then will you know truth.

Only then will you know trust.

Only then will you know wholeness.

Only then will you know inner peace. 

Only then will you know happiness.