Honesty is probably one of the hardest things to gain from another individual. People want and appreciate honesty, but rarely receive it.
I’ve always wondered; why don’t people ever give full honesty? Is it because they are scared of what their truth will turn into? Will it hinder or hurt the relationship with the person they need to be honest with? Will it make them too vulnerable? Will it backfire on them? Whatever it is, honesty is supposed to be the best policy, but oftentimes turns in to your worse nightmare.
For me, I always want to be honest. But I’m afraid of what will happen when I am completely honest. For the most part, as far as I get is giving half-truths. I try to get my point across without making myself seem extremely vulnerable. I’m scared. I’m scared that MY honesty will do more harm than good. I’m assuming other people feel the same way. They are afraid of the reaction they will receive, and there is no shame in that. But in order to make sure you are able to gain someone else’s trust, you sometimes have to open up with vulnerability and let your wall down.
Honesty can be a beautiful thing, if used in the proper context, avenue and setting. Sometimes your honesty can be harmful and life-changing. Sometimes it can be for the greater good. Being honest comes with many different mixed emotions, and it’s probably the reason people run from it. Not being honest often leads to lies and lies lead to other problems. It leads to lying to others and lying to yourself .
With this in mind, I want to always be honest. I hate a liar and I wouldn’t want to become something I hate. I want to be honest about how I feel, who I love, what I love, how I live, and what I’ve been through in my life…..I want to be an open book and only give the honesty I expect others to give me. Will it be hard? YES! No one wants to be completely naked and reveal their whole self. But in order to live, you have to be truthful with yourself. In order to be or feel fulfilled, you have to be honest…..you gotta keep it real!
So, family and friends: I’ve always been known to keep it real in the past, but now I’m really going to tell you what I mean and how I meant it. I’ve realized that I haven’t been as open as I thought I had been. In the past few months, I’ve felt like the more I open up, the better I feel about life and the better I feel about myself. You’ve got a question? Shoot. Want to know my opinion? I’ll give it to you. Want to know what I’m thinking? Ask. I’m no longer afraid…I no longer mind being vulnerable. Honesty IS the best policy, and it just makes life sooooooo much better!
XOXO,
TJ