Are you true to your word? Do your actions honour what you say?
Your word is your reputation. It is among the highest portrayal of who you are and it is what others associate with your character; your authority, your honesty and integrity. If you are trying to be a better person, if you are hoping to improve communication and trust in your relationships; begin here; be true to your word – to yourself – to others – to what will be your truth in action.
“Your word is what allows others to have trust in you and in what you say. Being true to your word means that you always speak the truth.” – dorothy ratusny 
Your word is your law. Your word must align your actions and reactions. When your tell yourself or another that you will do something, that you will take action and you do not do so; your word is diminished; as is your credibility. If you tell yourself or others that you will take action on something knowing that this is not your true intention, you are now wielding deception and untruth.
Misrepresentation of yourself, lies, and misleading others intentionally in order to gain something from doing so – is a deficit of character. This is a form of manipulation. You are also lying to yourself in order to gain something however you justify your words and actions.
Being true to your word does not mean that you can never change your mind, or change what will be your decided action; however not following through with your word; (with what you say) to yourself, and others will weaken the confidence others have of you and cause doubt and mistrust. This affects how others see you, and how you think and feel about yourself.
Changing your mind is not the same as dishonouring your word. If you change your decision, and if this new action is aligned with honourable and just behaviour; and if you communicate this change with transparency and sincerity, then it is not seen as mistrusting and dishonest. If you do not keep your word because you have changed your mind about something in order to impart gain unto yourself in a manner that is self- serving and dishonest, your word is no longer credible, your actions misguided.
We convince our self of what we want to believe; including making another person wrong or to blame, or absolving our self from responsibility of our actions. Your actions reveal your thoughts and beliefs. Refrain from using your words to make allowances for inauthentic action; this is untruthful.
Consider how being truthful is the most powerful way that you could think and act for yourself, and your life. You don’t need to hide from or avoid the truth with excuses of words; rather step up to being wholly reliable, accountable and honourable as speak the truth to yourself; to your children, to your loved ones – to everyone.
As you listen to what others say; hold witness to their actions. This is how you determine if their words are aligned with what they truly believe. Observe actions since actions speak ‘louder’ and far more definitively than words. If you doubt in someone’s words, observe their actions. Let a person’s actions show you what is in their mind and heart for one’s actions reveal what they are thinking and what they have chosen to do.
What to do when others and those you love are not true to their word?
Ultimately we want to be in relationships with people that we can trust in their word; who will follow through with what they say, who are reliable and accountable to do the ‘right thing’; to make the right choices; and to stand behind ‘right’ actions. If someone you know is not consistently of their word, know this: it becomes impossible to have a close and trusting relationship because you cannot completely trust in them, their word lacks accountability and belief, and therefore it becomes difficult to distinguish what is true and what is false perception. Your relationship with that person becomes an effort in discerning what you can believe (and what you should question or mistrust) rather than an enjoyment of being in relationship with them. Ultimately most people, if they come to identify that their partner or loved one is misinforming, misleading, or untrue to their word, will choose to place their precious time in relationships that are deeply fulfilling and not where they are unable to fully trust in another.
Your word, if it is not truly sincere, honest, and of the highest morale ground, will create a ripple effect; the energy of which will cause others to feel the incongruence of your words. It is far more simple and easy to be honest and true to your word. Others will respect your honesty above what error or misguided actions you relay. Your word is the outward depiction of your character; of what others see and define of you. Your word; honest or misguided, is what others come to know as the truth about who you are.
Give yourself permission to step back (to step away) from someone who is not willing to be honest, truthful, and honourable in everything that they say and in what actions follow. Practice living true to your own word; and of informing others when you need to change what you have already said or promised, whilst living as the highest integrity of truth; honouring both others and yourself for this is how you live with self assurance and the ability to honour and respect who you are.
Your word is your life, lived outwardly.
P.S. To that end, what does your word say about you? ?
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