In Defense of Being Brutally Honest

As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. I have always been blunt and concise. Among my friends, I am known not to sugarcoat things, and to get straight to the point. If I’m having trouble with a paper, I’ll talk to my professor. If a friend asks me for my opinion, I will tell you what I truthfully think. Although it can be quite uncomfortable to be unabashedly honest, I believe that confrontation is sometimes necessary. For me, one of the worst feelings is having something to say and letting it bubble up inside of you. Plus, letting your friends and family know the truth is important.

Honesty with people builds stronger relationships. To let people know how you truly feel, and to let yourself be vulnerable is one of the most liberating experiences in life. I’ve broken up a relationship because of distance, and told my crush how I really felt about them. I could not keep mulling these thoughts over and over in my mind, to have them bottled up. This anxiety would lead to greater tension between us, in both instances. It was nerve-wracking, but relieving. Of course, the outcome is not always positive, but I feel that the best way to deal with such issues is to have both parties on the same page and not let honesty be obscured by secrets and lies.

I want people to be honest with me, and I’m honest with them. Sometimes, telling the straight truth is incredibly painful. Everyone wants to avoid awkwardness. But to get the most out of an authentic life, and to reach for what you really want, being brutally honest can be one of the best tools you have.

As William Shakespeare wrote in All’s Well that Ends Well, “No legacy is so rich as honesty.”