Being honest sometimes makes people feel vulnerable, particularly in trauma recovery, but it is necessary for long-term success. The truth is that honesty allows openness, enables you to present facts, and empowers you to share.
You need to observe everything around you with clarity and honesty, which hones your perceptions and ability to see things clearly. When you are in recovery, honesty can be a hard habit to recreate. It can be hard to share the truth about your feelings and what you are thinking. However, the more honest you are, the more likely you will succeed in recovery.
Developing the Skill of Speaking Bluntly and Honestly
Being honest is not only speaking honestly; it is about being yourself and showing up as who you are. In recovery, honesty promotes openness, and being open creates a strong foundation for identity. Being truthful with others isn’t enough, as being even more honest with yourself is paramount.
Lying can become an unhealthy habit, and once developed, it is challenging to break. However, being successful in recovery requires you to work and acknowledge any dishonesty as soon as possible. Why is honesty so important? Some reasons include:
- Dishonesty is a common relapse trigger
- Dishonesty traps you in an unhealthy place to recover
- Dishonesty destroys healthy relationships
Maintaining Honesty in Recovery
Like any habit, if you do it enough, it becomes routine to the point that you can do it without thinking twice about it. Honesty is a crucial habit to develop in recovery and in life, so how do you do it? You can help yourself maintain honesty in recovery by:
- Acknowledging your true feelings and thoughts while speaking freely and authentically
- Making and keeping a commitment to therapy and treatment and being honest with everyone
- Not denying or avoiding the truth; face the music quickly, and it will become a healthy habit to nurture
- Speaking openly about your mistakes
- Speaking truthfully when you are struggling
- Honesty is a process, not a destination, so working to stay honest is a lifelong commitment
- Honesty shouldn’t hurt anyone
- Remembering that lies always have consequences
Honesty can be challenging in the beginning. Your feelings can be uncomfortable to address with others and even yourself, so you lie, stretch the truth, or avoid it entirely. If you can’t understand the reality of how you feel, you can’t grow. Growth means you can also identify feelings and situations, increasing your happiness. Honesty encourages you to become the best version of yourself and to see yourself as you are. It allows you to accept that you are in control of your happiness. Call The Guest House to learn how to take back control at (855) 483-7800.