Integrity

It’s been a minute & I am sorry. That’s an odd way to start a blog post isn’t it ? Well the reason I am apologising is because I know that all of my reasons for not writing have been excuses. They are excuses because I have had reflections I could write about but haven’t due to overthinking.

And so I have decided to just write what I have been pondering which is really the reason I started blogging the first place. Don’t we just love to overcomplicate simple things!

I have been pondering in the last couple of weeks about what it means to have personal integrity. Integrity and credibility are very important factors in leadership. Leadership here also refers to leading one’s self. Integrity is also very closely linked to trust and people find it very hard to trust people who they perceive as not having integrity.

Integrity is shaped by values and beliefs but is measured by behaviour.Belief drives behaviour & people’s observation of behaviour is used to evaluate the beliefs that we proclaim.

I believe integrity acts as an internal compass.It begins with me and starts with me keeping my word to myself. It’s having my words,actions and behaviours lining up with my values.

What are those internal drivers that are motivating me to take action and are they aligning with my beliefs,values and convictions?

Is my behaviour regardless of others in alignment with the person I want to become?

Do I keep my word to myself and in turn to others? I am a person of faith but do my actions reflect that faith?

Even scriptures tells us that faith without works is dead.

Personal integrity is so hard and is an internal refining that must be done within one’s self. It is a virtue we often seek out in others but is one that we need to constantly evaluate in ourselves.

So as we go into the last quarter of 2020 which has been a very special year, I will continue to to ponder and reflect on the choices and decisions I make daily. Are my daily actions truly reflective of the values that I profess?

I am proudly Nigerian and so I can’t end this post without acknowledging that today is the 1st of October. 60 years ago today,Nigeria gained independence from Britain. I know there a lot of things that we can say about Nigeria as a nation but I choose today to hope and pray for who and what I think Nigeria can be. A nation is it’s people & people of integrity and purpose are key to defining a better future.

Happy 60th Indepedence day Nigeria and God bless you.

Thank you so much for reading and wishing you a blessed peaceful October and last 3 months of 2020.

Oyindamola