Walk with confidence in INTEGRITY

How do you decide if something fit's your INTEGRITY? 

- Does it bring you peace?
- Does it bring you happiness?
- Do you feel you won't feel guilty if others find out?
- Does it allow you to feel confident when you need to ask Heavenly Father for help?
- Is it consistent with what you have believed in your entire life?
- Is it consistent to what you KNOW to be right and wrong?

Integrity is a value that I was taught at the age of twelve, as I entered the LDS Young Women's program. 
I started studying this standard out in a deeper manner, trying to understand more fully why it was a value by which we should strive to live.
As I worked on personal progress experiences, I quickly learned that the main concept of integrity is to stand up for what you believe in. This is a great definition, but what if it goes even deeper than that?

Just recently, I noticed a few things in my life with which I wasn't comfortable. I have the personality of being a "people pleaser." I just want to make everyone around me happy. While this appears to come across as Christ-like, the line is missing of what I will and will not do to please others.

You have to STAND for something, or you will FALL for anything!

Integrity has been on my mind a lot lately as my relationship with Jesus Christ is getting stronger.  So I decided to take a step back and evaluate my life. I evaluated everything I was doing and, for it to stay, it had to truly make me happy. I had to feel confident in it and that The Lord would be proud.

One of my absolute favorite quotes comes from President Eyring. He said " A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return."  This is very true. Everything I have ever given up to better myself and come closer to The Lord I have been extremely blessed for it. Heavenly Father makes it easy for me to live the gospel principle I am choosing to stand by. 

3 things I chose to give up!

1. Selling a product I didn't love for myself
The first thing that came to my mind was Mary Kay. I love Mary Kay products, but not every single one. 
I also HATE pushing people to buy stuff, I am not the sales type one bit. I hated asking my friends and family to book a makeover when I knew they weren't interested. So I sat there thinking about Mary Kay, I love using another brand of cleanser, eyeliner and mascara. Why would I try selling everyone these products, when I wasn't IN LOVE with them myself?

And the fact that Mary Kay was making me feel guilty all the time, I felt like I was never doing enough to be where I needed to be. So I thought about it, prayed about it and quit! I felt a million times better when I gave up something I had been hanging onto for so long. It simply wasn't making me happy. If I didn't use every product, why should I try to sell those products to others? 

I am now so happy, and my life is so much more fulfilling, without Mary Kay in it. I have nothing against the company, and I have so much respect for those who are selling, but it just didn't align with my moral standing.

2. Immodesty

The next thing I decided wasn't lining up with the values I was working to attain was immodesty. I have never worn anything too immodest, but I noticed a few years back I started adding clothes to my closet that were slightly not long enough to cover my garments, if I had them.

These clothes offered me no satisfaction, I'm not even sure why I started purchasing them. 
So, I cleaned out my closet. I took all the clothes I knew would not cover me after I go through the temple and I donated them. My closet is now a beauty. I feel confident and comfortable with every piece that is now in my closet. It was the most rewarding feeling ever. 


3. Advertising/Supporting things I don't want to associate myself with

With my degree in broadcast journalism, I am going to be asked by a lot of different people, if I will advertise certain products, events and maybe even people.

I need to start today to figure out what I will and won't support. The other day I was asked to promote the "Mr. Utah Pageant." I had second thoughts about this one, but I posted it on my Facebook wall anyways. I noticed after posting it on my wall, it was all I could think about. I felt guilty trying to solicit an event that I wasn't even sure if I stood by. So I took it down. 
Now I don't know if the pageant is unfitting to what I believe or not. I'm honestly not sure on my opinion - but what I do know is that my heart wasn't in it. It wasn't something I could definitely see myself supporting, so I decided to not to attach my name to this event any longer.

The thing about integrity is it's personal. It's between YOU and God. Whatever you decide to do, make sure your heart is in it. If it makes you feel uneasy in even the slightest way, obviously it isn't meant for you and that's okay. Give it up! You will be at so much peace with yourself and you will be able to approach Heavenly Father with more confidence as you go to ask of his help.

CHALLENGE: 
Evaluate everything in your life. 
Is everything you are doing in your life right now, bringing you the happiness and fulfillment that you are seeking? If not, what can you do to change this?

I know without a doubt, if you give Heavenly Father what you have been holding on to, he will bless you in more ways than you can imagine and you will walk taller with more confidence in all that you do.