Integrity

I just returned from a fabulous adventure across Canada with my parents. We hadn’t seen each other since I left Australia a year ago, and what an incredible reunion we had!

It’s not often the three of us get to spend time together, just us. Me moving countries obviously created an obstacle, but the other reason is I have a twin sister, so the family catch ups have always been all four of us – which I love! But it was really special and rare to have that time with my parents – solo.

What is quality time anyway? It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot.

What does it mean to you?

For me, it means being present, having real conversations, asking deeper questions, building stronger bonds, getting more related, really appreciating and having fun in each others company.

Quality time = Creating memories

It’s not scrolling through my iphone during meals, it’s not being stingy with my listening, it’s not reacting like my 16 year-old self may have done. It comes back to my previous post on integrity, to me it’s being responsible for the energy I supply in the time we spend together.

While driving through the Rocky Mountains we played a question game (I think it was actually designed for first dates, but it worked a treat!). We asked each other; What are your greatest accomplishments in life? Who are the people who have had the biggest influence on your life? If you could live any place in the world where would it be and why? What is the most challenging thing you’ve ever endured? What’s something that no one knows about you? What’s your favourite childhood memory?

It was priceless to get these insights into my parents. Often the people closest to us are the one’s we know the least about.

I’m so grateful for the quality time we had together during this holiday. We created memories I will never forget.

Life is short. Memories are precious.

If you’re going to spend time with your loved ones, make it quality time.

I recently attended my first yoga retreat. It’s been one of my goals for a while now – tick!

I felt so grateful and privileged to be there. I was a part of an amazing group of women who undertook a journey of total body and mind transformation.

When I checked into my room, I drew an affirmation from the ‘be the change’ card deck – it was Integrity.

This definition struck a chord with me . . . to live my truth.

I’d always thought of integrity as having strong moral principles, and in the disciplinary sense – ‘doing what I say I will do, when I say I’m going to do it’. This affirmation shed new light on an age-old concept for me.

At the retreat we called this “dusting off” words, shaking off the restraints of old definitions, beliefs, stigmas around language, and stepping into a whole new realm of possibility. It’s literally polishing old words to be shiny and new again. This ensures our communication is always powerful because we are aligned on the meaning behind our choice of words. Interesting huh?

To me, living my truth means spreading light, joy and love.

This message empowered me on my journey through the retreat, something I reflected on and consciously acted out. I focused on ‘living my truth’ during my solitary moments of reflection, when I interacted with others, and during my yoga practice. Aligning my thoughts, words and actions. Integrity. It felt dam good.

It made me more responsible for the energy I was bringing not only to my environment, but also to myself.

I got to thinking, this is something that could benefit me every single day. I don’t have to wait to attend a special retreat to be conscious of who I am being.

We all have a choice moment to moment as to what energy we bring into the world.

We are responsible.

Don’t wait, start NOW.

How will you live your truth today?