Me getting this far is by making good decisions, and when I think about the values that guide my life when making decisions, three always rise to the top: integrity, honesty and kindness. They sound so simple but they shape the way I live, the way I think, my choices, and even the way I relate and treat people.
Integrity is all about doing the right thing, no cunning ways or trying to be biased.
It is about doing the right thing even when I know that no one is watching.
And it is not just something simple that's why it has helped me a lot. Sometimes it feels tempting to just cut corners or do something that is convenient, but then I remember that I have to stick to my values because it gives peace of mind it gives me the assurance that I'm a good person it makes me feel like I'm really a matured person because I tried working out something that feels hard on my own.
I didn't have to stain my name or rubbish my reputation before doing anything.
Then there's honesty, honesty has really helped me a lot. No one is going to tell me the truth except myself.
I believe in being real with people and even myself even when it isn't comfortable.
I've had moments where telling the truth felt really risky and could cost me something or even hurt me but I chose honesty because honesty helps build trust with people.
People don't want to work with dishonest people.
They want to work or relate with someone they trust and someone they can vouch for.
And honesty also makes people know that they can't just mess with me anyhow because I've created a boundary that makes them know where I stand.
And there's also kindness. Most times kindness comes easily and sometimes it can be challenging.
Kindness is the one I struggle with most consistently.
I love being kind, I love helping people, showing up for people making sure people are okay, going all out for other people.
But when I'm hurt or feeling angry or unappreciated it is hard to show kindness.
Forgiving is also an act of kindness.
And it is in those tough moments that kindness becomes the most powerful, it makes me know that I'm not faking being a good person it makes me know that I am a really good person.
When I choose kindness it helps me heal, more like I've moved on from whatever the problem is.
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These three values are not things I get perfectly right but they are the things I keep going back to and they have shaped me into who I am and who I'm becoming.