Author: Kelley Kosow

Publisher: Sound True,

ISBN: 978-1-62203-946-3

Kelley Kosow, author of The Integrity Advantage, joined The Ford Institute in 2007 where she is now CEO and Master Integrative Life Coach. (2017, p.204) Debbie Ford is founder of this ground breaking organization that teaches people and groups overcome their weaknesses in order to realize their strengths and succeed in life. Kelley is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Miami Law School.

Kosow talks about her being selected by Debbie Ford early on and how they developed a deep and enduring friendship based on respect, trust, and love. Kosow believes that there is a “trust crisis” around the world. (2017, introduction) To which she offers the following. “The reason we do not trust others is because, deep down, we do not trust ourselves.” Take a moment or two to contemplate this statement before you formulate your own opinion of it.

Chapter one helps redefine the term integrity. Kosow offers two standard definitions of this word. They are this. “1. The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. 2. The state of being whole and undivided.” (2017, p.14) Kelly said that she was most familiar with the former, but as she matured she felt more attached to the later and this has become the crux of her life coaching.

In Chapter two we learn what Integrity Snatchers are and how to move past them and into the light. For instance, Integrity Snatcher one is Shame. (2017, paraphrase, p.24-5) Shame encompasses all of our self recognized flaws that we usually keep under wraps. Number two is Shadow and is about self judgment. Number three Fear and so on. Each heading defines some of the personal things that may have caused those things to occur and also how we can move through them and feel better about ourselves.

“You are the only expert on You!” Chapter three tells us. (2017, p.37) Think about this. Does anyone know you better than you? Probably not if you are quite honest. Two take aways from this chapter are how to take back your power and “take a u-turn back to yourself.” (pgs.38-41) Anytime we allow things or people to bother us or make us feel like we do not measure up we are giving them our power. We are allowing them to shape our moods and actions. We you realize this you regain your center and sense of self and all else falls into alignment.

I do not want to give the entire book contents away so I’m going to stop describing some of Kelley’s secrets here. I enjoyed it and saw a bit of my old self in some of her lessons. I have taken back my power, perhaps not that long ago, but it has helped me to live a happier, more productive, life. I believe there is something each of us can learn by embarking on this self loving journey. It’s up to you to take the first step.