Truth

I want to live based on one thing in the world: truth. If there is anything to dictate my life, I want truth to be it. If I am at a job I hate, I am not living by truth. If I allow myself to be with someone I know isn’t right, I am not living by truth. If I let lust, anger, loneliness, sadness, anxiety, or temporary emotions dictate my life, I’m not living by truth. I love myself when I do everything by truth, and I hate myself when I act on untruth.

I want truth to be my guiding principle in work. If I stay in a work position I hate, I am lying—I am acting in a way I know to be out of alignment with the truth of what I feel. If I don’t pursue work I love, I’m not living by truth. 

I want to be flawlessly truthful in my interactions with others. I believe I ought to base my actions on reality. If I believe this, I believe everyone ought to base their actions on reality. Lying is denying other people access to reality and preventing them from acting on it. They do not know the truth and are therefore unable to act on it. If I lie, I prove I do not actually believe one should base their actions on reality, because I deny others that access. 

I want truth to dictate my expression of self. I’m not acting on truth if I create false personality traits for the sake of others, hide accurate traits in fear of shame, or agree when I truthfully disagree. 

Living by truth means allowing my objectively existent thoughts and desires to guide my actions. If my rational mind knows a course of action will result in less happiness for me, and I take that course of action anyway (because of external pressure or fear of shame or pursuit of temporary pleasure), I am not living by truth; I’m living outside of reality. 

The health of my self-esteem is my motivation to always act on reality. I love who I am when I act on truth. I feel like a worthless slimeball when I act on illusions.