Am I True to Myself?

I've been so blessed with the opportunity to be mentored by a true Titus 2 woman for over a year now. Our current book that we're going thru is Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell. It's a good book and is causing me to stretch, grow, and stay out of my comfort zone as I have plenty of opportunities to practise what I'm learning!

In chapter three, which is titled "The Most Important Ingredient in Leadership: Integrity", Dr. Maxwell wrote: To build your life on the foundation of integrity, use the following poem ("Am I True to Myself?" by Edgar Guest) as a "Mirror Test" to evaluate how you're doing.

Am I True to Myself?

I have to live with myself, and so

I want to be fit for myself to know,

I want to be able, as the days go by,

Always to look myself straight in the eye;

I don't want to stand with the setting sun,

And hate myself for things I have done.

I don't want to keep on a closet shelf

A lot of secrets about myself,

And fool myself, as I come and go,

Into thinking that nobody else will know

The kind of man I really am;

I don't want to dress up myself in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect,

I want to deserve all men's respect;

But here in the struggle for fame and pelf

I want to be able to like myself.

I don't want to look at myself and know

That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.

I can never hide myself from me;

I see what others may never know,

I never can fool myself, and so,

Whatever happens, I want to be

Self-respecting and conscience free.

Wow. It really makes you think. 

Integrity. When we have integrity, our words and deeds match up. We are who we are, no matter who we're with.

~Rachel