Saying what someone wants to hear might sound beautiful, but the words aren’t the truth. Likewise, the truth might not always be beautiful, but at least it’s honest. Choose honesty and integrity over speaking beautiful but dishonest words.
10. “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” – W. Clement Stone
The truth and doing what is right should always take precedent over telling a lie or hiding from the truth. Honesty shows courage and integrity, so make sure you follow the right path.
11. “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” – Arthur Conan Doyle
You can’t build anything based on lies, so if you are working toward something good, make sure there is honesty along the way. Overcoming obstacles and navigating setbacks only get you so far if the truth isn’t there in the end. Tell the truth from the start, and you can trust that you are building on a solid foundation.
12. “For every good reason there is to lie, there is a better reason, to tell the truth.” – Bo Bennett
You might try to justify telling a lie or hiding the truth, and you will likely come up with some good reasons. If you find yourself looking for justification, think of the benefits of honesty instead. Thinking this way can help you recognize the benefits of telling the truth, even when it is tempting to lie.
13. “There is nothing so strong or safe in an emergency of life as the simple truth.” – Charles Dickens
When things get hard, the truth can offer strength and safety. Fully knowing what is going on can bring peace in a way that correlates with moving forward. When the truth is hidden, there will always be a sense of worry and weakness in the relationship.
14. “Honest communication is built on truth and integrity and upon respect of the one for the other.” – Benjamin E. Mays
Without truth and integrity, there can be no honest communication. Plus, dishonesty is a sign of disrespect for the other person. You wouldn’t want them treating you that way, so you should offer the same consideration.
Rather than stoop to this level, choose honesty instead. If you are honest right from the start, it will make the rest easier.
15. “Always tell the truth. That way, you don’t have to remember what you said.” – Mark Twain
When you tell lies, it is easy to forget what you said. Plus, you sometimes have to build on those lies or tell new lies to cover up the truth. The entire process is tricky and confusing, so it is best to avoid it.
When you tell the truth, though, you don’t have to worry about forgetting what you said. Since you were honest, you can recall the event from memory and avoid being caught in a lie. Telling the truth saves you stress while simplifying your communication, as well.
Telling the truth isn’t always easy, but it is better than the alternative. By being honest from the start, you can find a realistic solution that will work and isn’t based on lies. Plus, there are always more reasons to be honest, anyway, so it truly does work out for the best that way.
Keep in mind that you also won’t have a confusing mess of lies to remember and keep straight. When you tell the truth, you only have one story that you must follow. Plus, you won’t have to build more stories based on the things you made up.
If you choose to tell the truth, everything will work out how it was supposed to. It might be hard to say words that you know the other person doesn’t want to hear, but it is better than deceiving them. Remember these quotes about telling the truth the next time you are in this situation.