Regardless, there are certain things in life it’s important to be honest about. Here are 7 of them.
Your guilty pleasures.
Everyone has a guilty pleasure or two. Not everyone is honest about them though. I remember back when I was trying to quit smoking I would always tell people, “I only smoke on the weekends.” In reality, I was still puffing a few smokes every day‒I just didn’t want to admit it. So be forthcoming about your habits and vices and if you really want to change, make a commitment to do so.
Your struggles.
The sooner you honestly assess the things you’re struggling with, the sooner you can find ways to make your life better. Whether you’re dealing with struggles with work, your family, your friends, or yourself, the first step is having the courage to ask for help. Then take action by talking to a friend or family member, reading an inspiring article or book, or writing down your thoughts in a journal. Find ways to be happier right now. They’re right in front of you if you look for them.
Your free time.
How do you spend your free time? Be honest. The average person in the USA spends an astonishing 34 hours a week watching TV. Even if you spend half that, TV is a huge time waster for most people. So is the Internet (unless you’re reading useful info like the articles on this website, of course). But there comes a time when you need to honestly assess how you spend your time so that you can find ways to be more productive and make the most of your short time here.
Your health.
If you think eating junk food all day and not exercising is going to lead to a fulfilling life, guess again. Research shows that people who exercise are happier. And eating the right foods can help you lose weight, look better, and feel better about yourself. So why do we keep choosing to live lifestyles that don’t make our lives better in the long-run? Your health is one of the most important things to be honest about. Don’t take it for granted.
Your work.
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day monotony of working life. But the truth is, so many of us are living miserable lives because we keep working at jobs we hate. I know what you’re probably saying, “How am I supposed to pay my bills?” This is obviously a legitimate concern. But money doesn’t buy happiness. If you hate your job, start doing something you love on the side. Do some freelance writing. Teach music to underprivileged kids. Coach a sports team. Find work that fulfills you and start doing it now.
Your family.
You can’t pick your family, which means you’re stuck with the one you have. However, that doesn’t mean you should accept ignorance, complacency, and excuses from your family members. If there’s something you don’t like about one of your family members, tell him or her. Be honest. Just do it in a constructive way and offer solutions to help. Ask yourself this: if there was something about you that drove a family member nuts, would you rather hear the honest truth or be lied to? For me, the truth hurts but I always expect people to be honest with me, because I feel I owe it to them to do the same.
Your habits.
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is they focus too much on the expected outcome rather than changing the underlying behavior. In other words, if you want to accomplish a goal, don’t focus on the goal; instead, focus on creating the habits and routines that will help lead you to the goal. Ultimately it’s those seemingly automatic, habitual behaviors that turn negative behaviors into positive ones. And that’s the key to getting anything you want in life: be honest about what you want to change, then work on forming habits to help change it.
