I saw Dashboard Confessional last night in Concert and this new song was performed.

The song demonstrates the power of allowing another and you yourself existing wholly as is. We want this. We want others to exist with us this way. However, often we want the other to start. I often do not want to initiate but when we do, the other is so thankful for it.

Take the step towards integrity and be the first to let your heart beat here. Drive your stakes into the place most dear.

There is something about this phrase that resonates deeply with me.

When you allow the other to exist as they are and go there to interact. Not to change them but to interact.

Sometimes a mutual exchange other times not.

There is integrity in this. Each parties are able to be wholly themselves. This is definitely an art and requires much reflection to understand.

Time is a powerful tool. It keeps us accountable, honest, effective, and at times, sane.

The tool of time gives me endpoints, helps me say ‘no’, inspires me towards a goal, organizes my thoughts, ideas, actions…

Time can help us live a story in the bounds of integrity.

When time has more negative affects, we should re-evaluate how we encounter time and how we manage the reign it has over our lives.

Especially when working with people who think differently, have another perspective, different experiences, we should present our ideas with an attitude of “Take What Sticks”.

When pitching or teaching new ideas, the group has incredibly different launching points from us and from each other. We should be motivated not that everyone embraces this new idea as we do but that they would take what sticks and use it for themselves.

I’ve seen success with this but take from it what sticks for you.

The most whole or true path will likely not be the most efficient or productive. Therefore we should leave ourselves and others room or space to generate the most integrity driven product, plan, outcome…

We need time to set up the most whole training plan…money to buy the best fitting product…energy to put towards the most important parts of life…

Often the quickest exchange does not produce the most integral outcome.

Choosing the most whole path can be difficult when there is resistance ahead.

Often for me, the most difficult resistance is my own pride.

I want to choose myself and my own ideas rather than accept that another route is the more true.

The more I do this, the easier it gets. I start to tell myself fuller truths such as, “It isn’t necessary for all to see you in the light you wish…I need others to make this decisions…My perspective is not complete…”

Where is integrity, the truest, most whole, when two or more sides are backed with confidence?

How do we determine the truest path?

Integrity, in these moments, is less about the outcome and more about the process. We must be true to hear the others and true to stand for us.

The outcome will not end in both being right and maybe it will end with both sides thinking theirs is right but integrity can still exist without agreement.

Often I can tell if I’m experiencing integrity in these moments or not. Sometimes I choose my pride over integrity and other time humility comes through the desire for integrity.

Many of these thoughts are from reflection on the Patagonia produced movie, Jumbo Wild.

Where our rhythms are, we can find hints towards our whole selves. Our integrity.

In order for a rhythm to exist we have to believe in something about it quite wholly. We must be committed to the rhythm for it to continue to exist.

I’m going to examine the rhythms that already exist in my life and look for ones to try out to see if I can discover more of my whole self.

Selling: the point is profit

Inviting: the point is experience

In some areas I’m focusing towards selling when the more integrity (intrinsic or whole) driven route is closer to inviting.

Let’s look for ways to invite rather than sell. It’ll change, not only our pitch, but also our motivation and reward