Loyalty, is one of the most important things a person can be in life, yet some of us DON'T make it a priority or give that quality enough credit. Here are some reasons why staying true and sticking by the people and things you care about is the best thing you can do for yourself, and those you care about.

1. IT’S LESS MESSY THAN CONSTANTLY SWITCHING SIDES.

There are enough things to cleanup in life, so making a mess while you go just isn’t necessary.

2. IT EARNS YOU GOOD KARMA.Is karma real?

Who knows, but it might be safer to assume that it is.

3. YOU’LL FORM DEEPER CONNECTIONS.

Loyalty leads to feelings of security, which leads to better communication and deeper bonds.

4. YOU HAVE TO BE LOYAL TO YOURSELF, TOO.

Loyal to your emotions, beliefs, needs responsibilities, health…

5. YOU WON’T GET PASSED UP FOR WORK OPPORTUNITIES.

You can be great at a job, but if you aren’t accountable or you have a reputation for screwing people over, it’s much harder to grow and be rewarded for your work.

6. ONE DISLOYAL ACT CAN RUIN YEARS OF LOYALTY.

Might as well keep the good thing going.

7. YOU CAN BE LOYAL BUT STILL HAVE BOUNDARIES.

Being loyal doesn’t mean you have to put up with nonsense in life; it means you give people an opportunity to show you their true colors and then you make decisions that work for you.

8. YOU’LL BE QUICKER TO ACT WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THE RIGHT THING.

If you’re feeling the urge to cheat but just morally can’t allow yourself to do so, then you end a relationship before you cheat and simplify the whole thing for everyone.

9. PEOPLE WON’T BE OUT TO GET YOU.

No ‘eye for an eye’ plans are put into place if you don’t do something shady in the first place.

10. YOU’LL HAVE REAL RELATIONSHIPS.

It’s much harder to stay with someone who you know you shouldn’t be with when loyalty is a top priority. Things get real when you’re accountable.

11. GUILT HURTS.

Is there a worse feeling than knowing that you could have avoided hurting someone you care about?

12. YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO BE TREATED WITH LOYALTY, AS WELL.

If you’re loyal, most people will be loyal right back.

13. YOUR EXES WON’T BE ABLE TO SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT YOU.

Well, okay, maybe there are a couple bad things they could say about you, but won’t be that you’re a cheater.

14. YOU’LL HAVE MORE FRIENDS.

Disloyal people tend to blow people off when they make new friends, but if you’re loyal, you can just keep adding friends. Much more reasonable.

15. PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER IT.

In the short term, hustling around for the best opportunities can be tempting, but in the long term people keep around trustworthy and stable people above all else.

16. YOUR POWER WILL COME FROM RESPECT.

Not from your ability to swindle and play games.

17. LOYALTY LETS PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY’RE WANTED IN YOUR LIFE.

There is less pressure to try to make romantic relationships and friendships work when people inherently know that they’re working.