Qualities of Integration
Resilience and growth depend on how well we integrate life’s experiences into our understanding.
Integration is about bringing together different types of experiences—both the desirable and the undesirable—into a space of harmony and acceptance.
Simply accepting the presence of the experience, rather than agreement with or approval of, is a big part of integration.
The following qualities are valuable for supporting vibrant integration.
Self Awareness
. . .allows you to grow and become better prepared to make more desirable choices for your wellbeing which can lead to life becoming more enjoyable, appreciated and fulfilling. By exploring our thoughts, feelings, actions, beliefs, and meaning we make of life events, we gain more insight and understanding about ourselves and others.
Self-Responsibility . . .
. . .increases autonomous living, which means more personal freedom for making choices better designed for your life goals. Self-responsibility also enriches the quality of community connections. When we are more self-responsible, those we touch in our lives benefit, either directly or indirectly.
Non-Judgement . . .
. . .of self and other is the foundation of true happiness, self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Without blaming ourselves or others, we can become more compassionate, curious, and spontaneous in our lives. We can view humanity with more patience and thrive with a more meaningful sense of purpose in life.
Self-Expression . . .
. . .is the extent to which and how an individual makes himself or herself known in their world. When one’s self-expression to the outside world matches the truth of one’s inner world, the fulfillment of congruence and wellbeing result. Relating to oneself with compassion and acceptance becomes the foundation of expression in relating to others.
Emotional Well-being . . .
. . .is a buoyancy resulting from the healthy experiential awareness of a wide range of emotions combined with an overall positive outlook on life.
Sometimes it’s a crisis in one’s life, but not necessarily, that brings about emergence and experience of deeper emotions—emotions that one would otherwise never choose to experience. Perhaps fear, shame, sadness, or self-doubt.
By allowing one’s experience of these feelings . . .a surrender and engagement with them . . .we deepen our awareness to everything in life and open to new levels of richness and presence.
Grounding . . .
. . .energetically in the body supports the experiences of stability, manageability, self-ownership, and autonomy . . .as well as peace and vitality. Simple practices of breathing, focused attention, body awareness, and energetic grounding exercises greatly support integration and acceptance of previous and new life events.
Introspection and Self Reflection. . .
. . .is essential for meaningful choices and relationships. When we access our feelings, thoughts, and personal values by venturing inward with curiosity and compassion, we also tap into our uniqueness for personal expression. We can gain better understanding of ourselves and how we relate to others through turning our attention to this rich ground of our inner world.