1. Accept Yourself.
Freddy K got burned so often, he eventually lashed out… Let’s be honest – you don’t look like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, and you’ll never have their looks, talent, or money. That doesn’t mean you can’t still be happy. If you have a dream, work toward it, and accept who and where you are in life. You don’t have to exaggerate your circumstances. What you’re going through is enough on its own; we all understand how annoying it is to change a flat tire without ninjas attacking you.
2. Respect Yourself.
There’s no need to pretend you’re someone you’re not in order to impress people. Have a little self-respect and do what impresses you. Historically, it’s those who stick out that make it into the history books that those who fit in read and write. Those boring encyclopedias and other annals of human history aren’t listing off people like Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon because they fitted in. Respect who you are – you ain’t gotta lie to kick it.
3. Dancing in the Frying Pan.
In the land of the blind, Captain Obvious is a true hero… Some people lie because they’re just used to using deceit as a way to hide or get out of trouble. Their parents likely abused them, and they had to hide their true selves as kids, so now they’re hiding their true selves from everyone. Being yourself is something you learn through experience, so if you’re always hiding what you really think or feel behind a veil of deceit, maybe it’s time you learned to take the heat from your decisions and choices.
4. Protect Yo Neck.
We used to live in a society where you could lie your way out of trouble on a massive scale. These days, however, it’s not going to happen. There are too many citizen journalists, whistleblowers, and other societal disrupters who love catching people in the act of deceit. The media loves braiding nooses to string up liars, so if you allow your web of lies to grow beyond your control, watch out!
5. The Other Shoe.
Learn to differentiate the gray areas from the black and white… Take the perspective of the other person; how would you perceive yourself? This simple exercise in your relationships and dealings with people makes it easier to understand where they’re coming from and adjust yourself accordingly. Think of it this way: Do you enjoy being lied to? Do you like that feeling where you know someone is misleading you? If not, then don’t do it to someone else.
6. Stop Being Yao Ming.
I hate my birthday; I don’t mind the reminder of my inevitable aging or practically daring myself to get diabetes through overly sweet cake. What’s annoying is being the center of attention. Being in the center means all the focus is on you. While some people lie to hide from attention, others do it to gain exposure. Both issues boil down to the same thing – you need to stop basing your worth on what others think of you.
7. Courage under Fire.
It’s important to understand that both deceit and honesty are choices; in order to be honest, sometimes you’re going to face some tough times. This is normal, and choosing honesty in those times when everyone else is following company policy or adhering to the mythical code of the streets (which isn’t legally binding on any streets) is a really difficult thing to do. Learning to stand alone against all odds builds character so you can become the person you honestly should be. Honesty isn’t always the best policy (telling a loved one on their deathbed that really you always hated them probably isn’t the best idea), but it’s one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. Learning to overcome the shame and stigma around deceit and accepting that everyone does it will make you more aware of how often you actually lie in your daily life. From there, all you have to do is start being honest with yourself, and you’ll eventually be honest with others.
