A must read: The Way of Integrity

How Martha Beck inspired my summer reflections

A few months ago, I had a breakfast meeting with someone in my network who I deeply respect. At the time, I was about to embark on a new journey and was open about sharing the mix of emotions that were bubbling inside of me - excitement, fear, freedom, opportunity, and the unknown. The combination was giving adventure laced with a bit of anxiety.

Her response to me was beautiful because she and I don’t know each other intimately, but in that moment it felt as if she was intuitively speaking to my soul with clarity and love. She recommended that I order The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck and read it cover to cover. But before opening the book, she also suggested that I first listen to Martha on We Can Do Hard Things - the podcast hosted by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle (Glennon’s sister).

The Way of Integrity has been transformative to my summer and how I think about spending my time. Martha’s book parallels Dante’s Divine Comedy. She deftly interprets the many metaphors in his writing and extrapolates them into short stories of her personal and professional experiences, as well as experiences of her patients / clients. She incorporates deeply reflective exercises that seek to draw out the truth in one’s heart, guiding you toward greater self actualization.

The book has 4 sections - The Dark Wood of Error, The Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso - that reflect the journey toward realizing your full integrity. I grew up pairing the word integrity with morality, but the way in which Martha very clearly defines integrity is being “whole.” She likens it to a large machine, such as an airplane; to have integrity means that all parts are working together in harmony to fulfill a purpose.

The Way of Integrity is the most impactful book I’ve read over the last few years - hands down. If you’re interested in embarking upon a mind-and-life-shifting, Martha-led journey, I highly recommend having a journal by your side.

About Martha Beck

Martha has been very open about her personal and professional evolution, which ultimately led to her deeply intellectual, yet wholly approachable insights within her book. Her own story is incredibly insightful and full of unexpected twists and turns.

Martha has countless notable achievements to her name, including being a Harvard PhD sociologist, a globally-recognized coach, and a New York Times bestselling author. In her many interviews, she consistently shares the fact that she never expected her life to extend into coaching and mainstream writing; she initially believed her career would be professorship and raising her three children.

Outside of her writing, she has built the Wayfinder Life Coach Training Program, where she guides individuals throughout the world to help people find and pursue their true purpose.

In listening to her interviews, I find her to be an incredibly engaging and honest speaker and I can’t wait to see how she further builds upon her incredible research and life coach foundations.

Happy reading.

And a special heartfelt “thank you” to the person who recommended this book to me many months ago.

x jz

Images | 1 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me | 2 | marthabeck.com | 3 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me

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