Honesty is the best policy.
I try to live by this philosophy of honesty, of telling ‘the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God!’ I try to live by the ‘Total Truth Process’ presented by Jack Canfield in his book The Success Principles. I first read that book in August 2014 and amongst other things, his eye-opening, unheard-of, revolutionary idea of speaking the truth and not only that, but speaking the truth faster has been something I cling to any time my mouth opens to tell a lie.
Or if my mouth speaks a lie, I am quick to rebut it with the truth and an embarrassed apology.
‘Sorry, I meant….’
‘Ooops! Nope. That was a total lie. What I really mean is…’
But I find that it’s less the lies we tell, but more the unspoken truths we do not dare to speak that limits honesty in our lives.
What are you leaving unsaid in your conversations?
Yes, there are some things better left unsaid. But more often than not, pouring your heart out TO THE RIGHT PERSON/PEOPLE is the most cathartic, inspiring, life-giving, relaxing present you can give yourself and others. The truth really is a gift. Because it is so rare these days; it’s like it comes round only on special occasions and national holidays. Something like… ‘Happy Honesty Holiday’ or ‘Truthful Thursdays’ (but they happen only on a full moon).
Anyway, back to the heart of this. Honesty. Be more honest. Be more open. But do this in the right company with your trusted ‘ride or die’, ‘always and forever’, ‘love you no matter what’ friends and family. I know we don’t know what the future holds (BFFs don’t always last forever), but that is exactly all the more reason for you to say how you feel, share your worries, concerns, hopes, anxieties, good news and bad news. Tomorrow isn’t promised.
Live like there’s no tomorrow, Love like you’re on borrowed time. Why? Because it’s good to be alive. (Watch the video below) And because we generally feel the most alive or simply feel with more intention and more intensely when we are at the end of something. The last piece of chocolate seems to taste so much sweeter than the other ten pieces. The last sip of water seems to go down so much smoother than the previous 480ml, and is all the more refreshing. Live with intention, intensity and honesty…and live that way now.
P.S. This post was partly inspired by the song ‘Good to be Alive’ by Jason Gray, which was playing this afternoon on K-Love ‘Positive, Encouraging Rayy—dddeee-oooh’. You can listen to it here or below:
(And partly inspired by my reluctant decision to create a short auto-responder to all my email contacts and apologetically tell my loved ones, ‘sorry I’m ‘out of office’ for the immediate future’. I just need some guilt-free ME-time.)
Honesty is brave. Honesty is refreshing. Honesty is the way to move forward. And I can already feel the freedom of my honest decisions today moving me closer to my best that is yet to come.
What have you done lately or what do you need to do today that required or will require some brave honesty? Go for it!
Thanks for reading.
Stay blessed! 🙂
