The Quiet Drift Away From Yourself

Integrity isn’t about perfection. It’s about alignment.

Alignment between:

• What you say, and what you do,

• What you value, and how you behave,

• Who you show the world — and who you are in quiet moments.

  
  

Maya Angelou described integrity as living authentically, having the courage to let your actions match your words:

“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do, others have excuses.”

Most leaders I work with don’t struggle with competence, they struggle with inner compromise.

Those small moments when we:

• Stay silent, instead of speaking up,

• Say yes, when our body says no,

• Choose harmony, over honesty.'

  
  

Not from lack of care, but because leadership asks for courage.

As Maya Angelou also said:

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

Misalignment rarely happens all at once, it drifts in quietly — one decision at a time, one value postponed for later.

I remember saying yes to presenting a new initiative I hadn’t helped develop. Every part of me wanted to say no. Preparing for it became stressful, almost overwhelming. The presentation went well, and I received positive feedback, but the tension and exhaustion of forcing myself into that misaligned choice lingered long after.

That’s how the drift begins, until one day, you feel tired in a way sleep can’t fix. Often, that exhaustion isn’t about workload, it’s about being out of sync with yourself. Misalignment asks you to manage two versions of yourself — the one you are, and the one you show.

Authentic leadership starts with self-honesty:

• Noticing where you’re aligned,

• Where you’re stretched,

• And where you may be quietly betraying yourself.

  
  

Because integrity isn’t loud, it’s consistent.

Reflection for the week:

What is one small choice you could make, to bring yourself back into alignment?And what would it feel like, to honor that choice?