Live with Integrity and Live Your Best Life
![](https://static.oprah.com/spiritself/know/bel/images/ss_integrity_120.jpg)
Are you the kind of person you say you are?
Do you have the integrity you want to have?
Are you living little lies that keep you from real happiness?
Ask yourself: When you hear a juicy piece of gossip, do you pass it on? Do you think it's harmless to tell little white lies now and then? Do you let other people make important decisions for you? Use this action plan to build your spiritual backbone! Be the person you really want to be, and live your life with integrity!
How to Be Happier by Living with More Integrity
Do you have the integrity you want to have?
Are you living little lies that keep you from real happiness?
Ask yourself: When you hear a juicy piece of gossip, do you pass it on? Do you think it's harmless to tell little white lies now and then? Do you let other people make important decisions for you? Use this action plan to build your spiritual backbone! Be the person you really want to be, and live your life with integrity!
How to Be Happier by Living with More Integrity
![](https://static.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/images/tows_20010409_cheryl.jpg)
Life coach Cheryl Richardson says that if you are not living with integrity, your goals become hard to reach, you attract people that make you feel bad, and you lose your trust in yourself. If you feel you are out of touch with who you want to be and are breaking promises to yourself, use these three steps to restore your integrity!
Step One: Create an "Absolute Integrity List." Make three promises to yourself to restore your integrity.
Step Two: Create a personal vision statement that gives you clarity about your beliefs and will lead you to become the person you've always wanted to be.
Step Three: Identify where you are not being truthful in your life.
Cheryl says that your mission is not where you currently are, but where you want to be. Be sure to write all of these things down in the present tense—claim it!
It is important to take small steps over time. You're going to screw up. It's a hard and scary thing. "It's hard at first, I've been there!" — Oprah
Step One: Create an "Absolute Integrity List." Make three promises to yourself to restore your integrity.
Step Two: Create a personal vision statement that gives you clarity about your beliefs and will lead you to become the person you've always wanted to be.
Step Three: Identify where you are not being truthful in your life.
Cheryl says that your mission is not where you currently are, but where you want to be. Be sure to write all of these things down in the present tense—claim it!
It is important to take small steps over time. You're going to screw up. It's a hard and scary thing. "It's hard at first, I've been there!" — Oprah
![](https://static.oprah.com/spiritself/know/bel/images/ss_backbone_120.jpg)
Everyday things you do—telling little white lies, gossiping, not standing up for yourself—can erode your spiritual backbone.
Step One: Stand Up for Yourself!
When you don't live a life that reflects your true priorities, your "spiritual backbone" becomes out of alignment. You cannot live an authentic life if you continue to do things for people that you don't want to do. Learn to say "No" to the things that don't reflect your beliefs.
Step Two: Be Honest...No 'Little White Lies!'
People often tell white lies to avoid confrontation in their lives. Once you start telling these little lies, you begin to distrust yourself and harm your self-esteem. Doing this can take a physical and spiritual toll by draining your energy.
Step Three: Stop the Gossip!
Gossip is a way of avoiding confrontation and a great example of how we break our integrity with ourselves. If gossiping about others makes you feel powerful, perhaps you should look at why you feel powerless. When you gossip and feel badly about yourself afterwards, you're betraying yourself.
Step One: Stand Up for Yourself!
When you don't live a life that reflects your true priorities, your "spiritual backbone" becomes out of alignment. You cannot live an authentic life if you continue to do things for people that you don't want to do. Learn to say "No" to the things that don't reflect your beliefs.
Step Two: Be Honest...No 'Little White Lies!'
People often tell white lies to avoid confrontation in their lives. Once you start telling these little lies, you begin to distrust yourself and harm your self-esteem. Doing this can take a physical and spiritual toll by draining your energy.
Step Three: Stop the Gossip!
Gossip is a way of avoiding confrontation and a great example of how we break our integrity with ourselves. If gossiping about others makes you feel powerful, perhaps you should look at why you feel powerless. When you gossip and feel badly about yourself afterwards, you're betraying yourself.