Gratitudes part 4: Nikki, true to herself

If we are among the lucky ones, we have friends in our lives that inspire us to be better versions of ourselves. These friends live their truths in ways that shine like beacons, illuminating the way ahead, beckoning us to follow their examples as we stumble through our own personal journeys of self-discovery, searching for fulfillment. I am fortunate to count myself among these lucky ones. I have a wonderful friend who I find to be impressive and inspiring in exactly this way. Over the years, the more I've gotten to know her, the more I've come to realize that she is in fact a role model for something that I've been thinking a lot about lately: integrity. Loosely, integrity is about knowing your values, and living and acting in a way that is true to those values. Let me be clear: this can be a hard thing. Integrity doesn't just happen; you have to put in the work. It is a lifelong pursuit, a lifelong practice. Nikki knows her values, and she lives them. She puts in the work, every…