It is sad to live in a world where honesty is feared. People are nosy by nature and always want to know "why" for so many things. The tendency to pry into the life of one who is not so easy to get close to is a sure way to make them run away and never come back.
What does that have to do with emotional honesty?
"Being honest in a relationship means you tell the truth.
If you are lying, that puts a barrier between you and the other person.
Maybe ask yourself the reason you are lying.
Are you hiding who you truly are?
Are you hiding because of your own judgments or is it really likely that the other person will reject or criticize you if they know the truth?
If you are lying, then the relationship loses intimacy and safety.
Being honest doesn’t mean the same as passing judgement or making assumptions or giving an unsolicited opinion. Being honest is not saying something hurtful because you are hurt. Being honest means you express your emotions accurately and in a loving way. You stay on the same side. You don’t blame, name-call, or use the relationship to control what the other person does. Emotional honesty, factual honesty and respect support and nurture loving connections."
Being honest doesn’t mean the same as passing judgement or making assumptions or giving an unsolicited opinion. Being honest is not saying something hurtful because you are hurt. Being honest means you express your emotions accurately and in a loving way. You stay on the same side. You don’t blame, name-call, or use the relationship to control what the other person does. Emotional honesty, factual honesty and respect support and nurture loving connections."
Even a "little white lie" can chip away at trust in a relationship. A lie is a lie is a lie . . . a betrayal, no matter how small or large.
When someone lies to me, the first question that usually comes to mind is "why did they tell the lie to begin with." It continues from there . . . "How many times have they lied . . ." I could go on and on.
Half truths are much like lies. My intuition always tells me when something important is being swept under the rug. Those things that are under that rug can start a roller coaster ride that sometimes goes out of control. Trust flies out the window . . . and it also depends on the type of relationship you have with this person.
On the flip side . . . I started this post about fear of honesty. It has been my experience that people in general are very insensitive and love to judge others. Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves.
Call it paranoia, but in the past I have been so judged about my varying phobias and how I deal with them that I have gotten to where I don't want any new friends and having to "explain" why I can't do this or that. It isn't worth it anymore.
I recently arranged to meet up with a childhood friend at a restaurant close to home and my "comfort zone." We lost contact with each other after high school. Actually, I was feeling pretty positive about seeing her again. Then I got the message that her husband wanted to meet half way. That place would have taken me way past my comfort zone and I just didn't want to explain why I could not comply with the request that, under normal circumstances would be considered reasonable.
So, I cancelled and deactivated my Facebook account so I would not be asked to explain with all the dreaded questions about "why" . . . which leads to judging and even more questions that make me so uncomfortable. Yes, I know she now thinks I am nuts, but probably would not have understood my issues anyway. So I ran away from it.
In this case, honesty would have taken me to an all familiar uncomfortable place from my recent past that I don't want to be at again. I'd rather not have new friends.
Most people don't "get" phobias and I'm tired of explaining them. Just when I think I am managing better and take steps to move on, a situation arises to make me take many steps back.
It all makes me sad . . .
Half truths are much like lies. My intuition always tells me when something important is being swept under the rug. Those things that are under that rug can start a roller coaster ride that sometimes goes out of control. Trust flies out the window . . . and it also depends on the type of relationship you have with this person.
On the flip side . . . I started this post about fear of honesty. It has been my experience that people in general are very insensitive and love to judge others. Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves.
Call it paranoia, but in the past I have been so judged about my varying phobias and how I deal with them that I have gotten to where I don't want any new friends and having to "explain" why I can't do this or that. It isn't worth it anymore.
I recently arranged to meet up with a childhood friend at a restaurant close to home and my "comfort zone." We lost contact with each other after high school. Actually, I was feeling pretty positive about seeing her again. Then I got the message that her husband wanted to meet half way. That place would have taken me way past my comfort zone and I just didn't want to explain why I could not comply with the request that, under normal circumstances would be considered reasonable.
So, I cancelled and deactivated my Facebook account so I would not be asked to explain with all the dreaded questions about "why" . . . which leads to judging and even more questions that make me so uncomfortable. Yes, I know she now thinks I am nuts, but probably would not have understood my issues anyway. So I ran away from it.
In this case, honesty would have taken me to an all familiar uncomfortable place from my recent past that I don't want to be at again. I'd rather not have new friends.
Most people don't "get" phobias and I'm tired of explaining them. Just when I think I am managing better and take steps to move on, a situation arises to make me take many steps back.
It all makes me sad . . .
