By Stephanie Bucklin
Integrity is more than just a moral compass; it is a deep form of self-awareness. It is the alignment of our thoughts, words, and actions with our inner truth. I realized this years ago when I first understood what it meant to be “out of integrity.” That moment of awareness was like recognizing thirst—you don’t need to be told when you’re dehydrated; your body knows. In the same way, we intuitively sense when we are being dishonest, when we are not fully present, when something within us is out of alignment.
As an empath, my sensitivity to energy often allows me to perceive the truth of a situation before words are spoken. I’ve told those close to me, “Spirit knows you better than you know yourself.” This ability—clairsentience—has been shaped by my own healing journey and my education in human behavior. I feel the unspoken intentions of others, sometimes before they even recognize them within themselves. And what I have come to understand is this: integrity is not just about honesty with others, but honesty with ourselves.
Brené Brown, in her book The Gifts of Imperfection, describes integrity as “choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.”
True integrity requires facing discomfort, speaking our truths even when it feels risky, and standing firm in who we are.
The Discomfort of Dishonesty
What troubles me most is how easily people abandon integrity when faced with confrontation or vulnerability. Ghosting, for example, is one of the clearest signs of a lack of integrity. It is a silent withdrawal, a refusal to honor connection, an escape from discomfort at the expense of another’s clarity and closure. When we enter relationships—romantic or otherwise—without being honest from the start, when we manipulate, when we pretend to be something we’re not to get what we want, we set ourselves up for inevitable disillusionment.
Eventually, the truth finds its way through the cracks. When that moment arrives, we have two choices: acknowledge it and speak it aloud, or suppress it and continue living in misalignment. But when we silence ourselves—when we know the truth but refuse to honor it—we create the very lack of integrity we fear in others.
A Lover’s Pause
I have put my heart out there many times. And I will continue to do so. I love deeply, fully, and with intention. My heart longs for love, kindness, affection, and compassion. But what I seek most in another is integrity. Lately, the dating world has tested me, presenting people who lack the foundation of truth I value so much. Ghosting, dishonesty, and avoidance have left me bruised. And so, I pause. Not in bitterness, but in self-compassion.
This pause is not about closing my heart. It is about honoring my own integrity. I am reflecting on why I am here, why I love as deeply as I do, and why I refuse to settle for anything less than truth. The more I embrace my own clarity, the more my path becomes illuminated.
I am vulnerable because I choose to be. I wear my heart on my sleeve, not as a weakness, but as a commitment to living authentically. I love people. I see their light. And so, when someone expresses interest, I meet them with curiosity, with openness. Because connection is at the core of who we are as human beings. We are wired for love, for community, for belonging.
And yet, I will no longer sacrifice my integrity for the illusion of connection. I will not dim my light to make someone else more comfortable. I will continue to love, to trust, to open my heart—but only where truth resides.
Because integrity is not just about how we treat others. It is about how we treat ourselves. And in honoring my own truth, I create space for the kind of love I truly deserve.
Namaste,
~S
Join the Soul Journey Membership: A Path to Integrity and Purpose
Integrity begins with self-awareness. It is the foundation of a life aligned with truth, love, and purpose. In my own journey, I have learned that before we can stand in deep integrity, we must first awaken to who we truly are. This is the inner work—learning to love ourselves as God loves us, without condition, without fear. From this place of self-acceptance, we can rise into our purpose with clarity and unwavering truth.
This is the path we walk together in the Soul Journey Membership. If you are ready to:
Deepen your self-awareness and reconnect with your soul’s truth
Cultivate radical self-love and acceptance
Align your life with your highest integrity and purpose
…then I invite you to take this journey with me. This is the work I have done, and continue to do. And it is the work I am honored to guide others through.
Join our community of seekers, healers, and truth-bearers. Your journey home to yourself begins now.
Click here to learn more and enroll:
https://stephaniebucklin.com/product/soul-journey-membership/
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