Radical Honesty

Radical honesty is a concept defined in the book by Brad Blaton and while I am not promoting the book, nor do I believe in all of the concepts of that book, what I like about it is the term and the idea of radical honesty and telling the truth instead of the "form of the truth". If you are a fan of the movie Divergent, the faction known as Candor is based on radical honesty and this is a concept I LOVE.... but the question for me is?

Do we have the courage to actually do this?

every time

every day

and REALLY tell the truth

Can the truth really set you free?

While I believe this wholeheartedly

it isn’t easy

sometimes telling the truth is so damn hard.

Especially if you are

... a people pleaser

...don’t want anyone to think badly of you

...don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings

...or just generally don’t like conflict.

So we tell our little white lies to our kids;

yes sweetie that is the most awesome drawing I have ever seen (when really: what the hell is it?)

to our friends;

oh, I’d love to go but I have to *enter excuse here (when really: uh, hell to the no!)

to our bosses;

I’m not feeling so good today...you know lady issues (well that might actually be true)

to our coworkers;

no those plaid pants look great with that striped shirt (when really: what are you thinking - yikes)

and to ourselves;

I absolutely need those new shoes; they will go with everything (this might actually be true too)

But you get the idea. Most of the time those little white lies work ok. ...but what IF,

We decide radical honesty was the way to go?

Can we be honest without being mean?

Does telling the truth have to equal being mean?

I think we can be honest without being mean and if you think about it...it is mean not to be honest.

For anyone who really knows me, knows I try to do this, to be really honest.

To speak up for what I really want and tell the truth

(no, I really just don’t want to go)

(plaid and stripes are not your best look... oh and a quick brush through your hair)

This is a total work in process and I really have to consciously make an effort and really think about my answers before I actually answer (brain overload: maybe this is why I keep losing things lately - keys, volleyball jersey, papers,etc...but I digress and that’s a story for another day but think “mini-breakdown”)

So join me in radical honesty.

Say what you mean,

Mean what you say,

but don’t say it mean!

Start with yourself or start with me... I can take it!

I will caution you that you may hurt a feeling or two in the process and I’ll talk more on that later because right now I’m off to a meeting in Washington DC with the staff of the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation...

Let’s see if they are ready for radical honesty!