Living a Life of Integrity

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Friday morning in my Sweet Home Alabama!

 

How is your integrity?

 

Merriam-Webster defines integrity as follows:

Integrity

1: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility

2: an unimpaired condition : soundness

3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

 

Most of the time when we speak of integrity, we are speaking of the first definition – I love the “incorruptibility” at the end! We think of things like doing what you say you are going to do, doing the right things, etc. And these are critically important; however, I would offer that these are the disciplines and fruits of integrity, not the root of it.

 

This morning, when I asked about your integrity, I was referring to the 3rd and 2nd definitions, in that order. Are you complete? Are you undivided? Is there complete alignment between your purpose, your priorities, and the life you live? This is the integrity I speak of this morning.

 

Unfortunately, many don’t know their purpose or priorities. Perhaps more tragic, some know their purpose and/or priorities; however, they are not honoring them. In both cases, we are not complete or sound. Ever feel that way? I know I do.

 

If you are not complete this morning, I want to encourage you to take some time to get clarity about your purpose and priorities and then live your life in alignment with them. If you are complete, I am cheering for you! Please continue to run your race with intentionality and perseverance.

 

For all of us, I want to offer two warnings:

1.  Whether we acknowledge them and choose to live our lives in alignment with them or not, our purposes and priorities will continue to call out to us. Two things happen when we fail to honor our purpose and priorities – the work we were created to do goes undone, and the needs of the people we are called to serve remain unmet.

2. We must reaffirm and recommit to our purposes and priorities every day. Cares, concerns, and challenges of this world are constantly hammering away at our foundation. If we fail to live in alignment with our purpose and priorities, if things get out of order, our lives, our families, and our peace are at risk. When we are not complete and sound, we feel it, and it impacts every aspect of our lives. Please Friend, be intentional about your commitment to your purpose and priorities, and make sure the life you are living is in alignment with them.

 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

 

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well!

 

Kev

Every Day Has the Potential

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this beautiful Friday evening in my Sweet Home Alabama!

Last Saturday was one of the best days of my life. For the first time in months, our entire family was together. I could end there, and that would be enough to qualify as one of the best days of my life. However, there was more, much more!

·       My Beautiful Bride made us all biscuits and gravy for breakfast.

·       My 3 Tender Warriors and I then went and ran errands, bringing Starbucks back for everyone who wanted one.

·       Lunch was a Shrimp Boil.

·       Then there was an afternoon family football game. There were so many funny moments,  many of which will be told around the dinner table for years.

·       Dinner was my Beautiful Brides amazing Pork Nachos.

·       We all then stayed up until past 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, watching UFC 316

The thing is, I was fully aware that this was special while it was happening. As the boys and I were running errands, I thought back to how long it had been since we had done something like this together. We were all talking, enjoying each other's company…no cell phones, no fighting.

All of the meals, in addition to being great food (the Haslams eat well!!!), were really all about talking about life – what we have been doing, hopes, goals, dreams, struggles, challenges, and concerns. There was understanding, compassion, and love — so much love.

That football game was something else! Yes, there were a couple of arguments – they are still brothers after all! However, there was good, healthy competition, and did I mention some absolutely hilarious moments?!

Other than having to stop a couple of wrestling matches before they started, the time spent watching UFC was about sitting around together, visiting, and, of course, enjoying snacks!

So here is my question: Was the day great, or did we make it that way? Or, is it simply my perception that it was a great day? You see, just like you and every other family, there are problems, challenges, and struggles. There were tears and deep, heartfelt conversations. I cherish those most! I could easily flip the script and, instead of bullet-pointing six things that have blessed my life deeply, I could list six problems, challenges, and struggles I currently face. You get to choose well. And whatever choice we make, whatever we want to focus on, will influence the way we think, talk, and act. I choose joy, gratitude, and faith! You?

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

 - Mark Twain 

“Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life.”

- Lin-Manuel Miranda

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well!

Kev

Don't Waste the Struggle

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Friday afternoon!

 

This afternoon, I want to encourage us all not to waste the struggle. We all face struggles, challenges that we create and those that are thrust upon us, as we are on this beautiful journey called life. Within them are seeds of wisdom, courage, and strength. The thing is, we cannot gain these tools if we do not go through and embrace the struggle. It would truly be no different than putting a seed in the ground one day and taking it out the next – nobody would ever expect that seed to grow and become all that it was created to become. The same is true of you and me, Friend.

 

Over the years, working with college-aged individuals, I have seen families make great sacrifices to support their students in attending school. I have also seen students leave their families to pursue a degree and a better life. Most recently, I have had two sons go to pursue their callings. I recently wrote something to one of my sons who was dealing with homesickness, something like, “It is a struggle and a sacrifice for all of us – don’t waste the struggle.” My point to him, and for all of us on this Friday, is to make the sacrifice worth it by becoming all that you were created to become. There are challenges to overcome, lessons to be learned, and wisdom, courage, and strength to be gained! Lean into every day, every moment, and drain the potential out of each one. While it is sad to see people be alive for a lifetime without actually living, it is equally unfortunate to see people half-heartedly attempt to do something and waste the struggle.

 

I have seen my share of struggles in life, and I completely understand that when we're in one, we just want it to be over. As I reflect back on the ones that I attacked as I encouraged my son to do, I see where I learned, grew, and became stronger. And yes, there are those struggles that I look back on where I took the easy way out or gave less than my best…those are the ones I look back on with regret. While the pain of struggle is unquestionably real, so is the pain of regret. Let’s commit to lives without regret. Let’s choose to be fully alive every day. Whether we choose a path that requires us to struggle or a challenge is thrust upon us, let’s lean in and gain everything we can from it.

 

I want to close by sharing two quotes from Kevin DeShazo that I read this week.

 

“You can pursue your comfort or your potential. It’s up to you.”

 

“Struggle isn’t bad. Failure isn’t bad. Being uncomfortable isn’t bad. Feeling disappointed isn’t bad. These are the moments that refine you. The journey isn’t supposed to be easy or feel good every day. Stop running from the hard moments. Embrace them.”

 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well!

 

Kev