Bridges - Building, Burning and Integrity

I am grateful for you being here, right now, sharing your time with me.  
Thank You!

I've been thinking about whether it is ever ok to 'burn a bridge' and whether we sometimes  'build bridges' with selfish and inauthentic motives.  Throw in some thoughts on my new understanding of integrity and the wheels are turning in my head.

Now, this new understanding of integrity has to do with something interesting I learned in my restorative yoga class.  Paul, our yoga teacher, reads to us while we are in our restorative poses.  



Paul shared during one reading, that living our true purpose is important to having integrity.  Speaking truth is not the goal, but rather integrity is achieved when speaking and living YOUR Truth ie. being authentic.

Did you pause when reading "speaking truth is not the goal"? I know I questioned it. 

Truth for us as children is very clear cut and tied to naming objects with our language.  Each year of life brings nuances and complexities to our lives that make it much less obvious to know what is 'truth'.  

Back to having integrity and being authentic:

As an example, I am standing for a happy, healthy and loving world.  For me to advertise a fast food restaurant that is known for unhealthy food offerings on my website would not be living My Truth.  

Let's say, on the other hand, that I was standing for a world where no one is hungry.  Then, perhaps low cost food and fast food chains advertised on my website would be living My Truth.  

It is not that I want people to be hungry.  I certainly do not.  Yet, it is not what I am standing for in life.  We each have a unique purpose in life, and mine is tied to a happy, healthy and loving world.

As I have opened my mind and heart to new ideas and learning, I realize that many of my lifelong 'truisms' just do not ring true to me now and are no longer my guiding principles.  

I used to seek to 'build bridges' with everyone.  I now would not choose to 'build a bridge' with unhealthy fast food chains through advertising.  I have no interest in 'burning a bridge', so I give no names.  To live my truth of a 'loving world', then I must also be 'loving' to those that do not share My same Truth about health.

So often we say what we think others want to hear us say - to build bridges.  And we don't say what we are afraid others won't like, so we don't 'burn a bridge'.  
                                                             
What we say and don't say, as we repeat it over and over throughout our lives.......before we know it, that's who we become.  

And I recognized with myself,  that being what everyone else wants us to be or what we think they want us to be, is exhausting.  

If I speak with love in my heart, say my words courteously, and I speak My truth, then there is nothing else to think or worry about.  

Any thoughts on bridges?  Please let me know what YOU think -

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