Do you remember a time when you had a conversation with someone whose life seemed 10x better than yours?
For they offered things like: "My bank account is brimming with savings and I'm well set for retirement."
Or "I got the best new job though I wasn't even looking for one!"
Or even, "My grandchildren are all soccer stars and all on the honor roll." And so on . . .
But are these stories all true? We know better than to believe but still it's tempting. To this question enter this week's word: honesty.
Honesty is defined as the quality or condition of truthfulness or integrity.
In our picture-perfect Facebook world, we're losing this experience with one another because we don't have the conversations that go like this . .
I just stress ate a whole pie.
I am sad and don't remember being truly happy for years.
I never pay my bills on time. My credit score is terrible.
My 7-year old never sleeps through the night.
Or whatever is the honest truth is about your life.
I have to tell you this: when friends confide in me truths like this, I feel gratitude. Why? Because it means my honesty will be welcomed. I feel safe to be real too.
No matter what you might project to the outside, there are things in your life right now that are on the struggle bus. Your best friendship may be falling apart. Your patience for your adult children might be growing thin. You may cry every night because you miss someone so much. Whatever it is . . .
YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
So, I'm wondering, what's one situation this week that you can be more honest about with the people around you about?
Of course, not everyone can handle all the stories closest to your heart. Of course, it's not time for every story to be told. But, I bet if you think about it for a minute, there's somebody in your circle who can hear what you need to say now.
How are you going to be honest this week? Your soul already says thank you for moving in that direction.
XO
Elizabeth
P.S. Are you looking for a great book for a group to discuss and practice being more honest with one another? Might I suggest this one that a church of mine studied together. Here's the scoop of what happened . . .
