Are you honest about the good and bad parts of yourself? You might need some help with the not so good stuff.
This is where GenuLines steps in to help put the truth on your side.
5 Steps To Be More Honest With Yourself
You’re serious about improving yourself as a person. And honesty is an important part of the process.
Honesty is a key aspect of developing because if you aren’t being honest with yourself, how on earth do you plan to grow?
When we choose dishonesty and delusion we’re choosing to see only what we want to see. That might not sound so bad, but it means that you are ignoring a whole lot that you would prefer to avoid.
It’s those things that matter the most. You’re securing short-term joy in exchange for long-term happiness.
Being more honest with yourself might be painful. But it’s a necessary part of furthering yourself.
How can you be more honest with yourself?
1. Acknowledge The Bad & The Good
We have a way of embracing all the good things in life, while completely ignoring the bad. It’s a bit like social media.
We watch only these timelines of pure joy and bliss. And it’s not realistic.
People share the best of their lives. It’s a slideshow of their lives and doesn’t paint a true picture of the hardships they might face.
We do this, too, whether it’s on social media or in our own heads. It’s just easier to ignore the bad things rather than deal with them head-on.
Ignoring problems won’t solve anything, if anything, it will make things worse for you in the long-run. Be honest with yourself about everything good and bad in your life.
That balanced view can keep you sane.
2. Take Time For Self-Reflection
At the end of each day, take a few minutes to think about how it went. Ask yourself how you did, if there’s anything you did well or could have done better.
You can be honest without being too critical or too judgmental. This exercise isn’t about damaging your self-esteem.
Rather, it’s about reflecting on the day so that make tomorrow will be better.
Reflection helps you learn about yourself. And it can improve your ability to solve problems, too.
Allow yourself the opportunity to analyze the day and you get a better picture of what it takes to improve.
3. We All Make Mistakes – Admit It
This is one of the most difficult aspects of being honest with yourself. It’s easy to slip into ego protection mode and fine an excuse or someone else to blame for a mistake.
But it won’t help you build a real sense of self-esteem.
True self-esteem and confidence lie in being courageous enough to own up to mistakes. When you can stand up and own shortcomings you can learn and grow.
4. Get Into Your Emotions
When people say they’re caught up in their emotions it usually has a negative connotation. Yet, your emotions have an important role to play in how you understand and interact with the world.
Emotions aren’t the reality, but they are revealing. It’s revealing when you dig deep to figure out why you feel a certain way.
You learn about the things that tend to make you feel that way. What’s more, you’re learning appropriate responses.
This is a level of honesty that your stress levels (and social circle) will appreciate.
5. Don’t Get Caught In Analysis Paralysis
As noted above, it’s important to take time for reflection and analyze the day. But it’s also important that you don’t over-analyze.
It’s easy to get carried away. You don’t need to rationalize everything or intellectualize about it.
There’s no need to create an elaborate story about why bad things happen to you. You need only to note how it is right now and move forward.
You don’t need to understand everything that’s going on in the world. Instead be realistic, be practical and be sensible.
JohnK 9-6-2921
Overheard: “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” ~Sigmund Freud
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