Integrity As Nervous System Work

A lot of integrity talk sounds like virtue school. Be good. Do right. Tell the truth. Useful, yes, but incomplete. Integrity is also nervous system work. When you say one thing and live another, your body has to hold the gap. That gap burns energy. It shows up as scattered focus, low grade shame, and the constant hum of I am not quite aligned.

Alignment is not glamorous. It is the small decisions you make when no one is watching. It is sending the email you want to avoid. It is choosing rest when you promised your body you would. It is ending the almost relationship that has felt wrong for months. It is telling your client you made a mistake and repairing cleanly. Every time you close the gap between your words and your life, your system steadies.

Self trust grows through evidence. Keep it simple. One promise a day that you fully keep. Drink the water. Walk the dog before scrolling. Write for fifteen minutes. When you keep that promise, pause and feel it. Not the gold star. The sensation. Warm chest. Longer exhale. The body recognizes congruence.

Integrity is not perfection. It includes repair. When you miss the mark, own it without a story about your worth. I said I would call. I did not. I am sorry. Here is my plan to make it right. Your body does not need you to be flawless. It needs you to be honest and in motion.

You can be kind and still live the way you say you want to live. That is not rigid. That is freedom.