{"id":207016,"date":"2021-01-14T20:36:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T20:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/strengthbasedliving.com\/?p=207016"},"modified":"2021-05-05T16:49:30","modified_gmt":"2021-05-05T16:49:30","slug":"spread-honesty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strengthbasedliving.com\/strengthbasedliving.com\/putting-strengths-into-action\/spread-honesty\/","title":{"rendered":"Spread Honesty"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you are honest, you speak the truth.<\/p>\n

These words from Ryan Niemiec and Robert McGrath\u2019s latest collaboration, The Power of Character Strengths<\/a>, ring in my head following last week\u2019s attack on Capitol Hill in Washington DC.<\/p>\n

Honesty<\/a> is a globally valued trait, and yet it seems woefully missing in many places. Omissions, half-truths, exaggerations, and outright lies poison\u00a0our society. At one time or another, most of us have fallen into these patterns\u00a0with consequences ranging from mild to serious.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to point fingers at leaders and others who don\u2019t seem\u00a0concerned about facts, scientific data, or the opinions of experts. However, every one of us plays a role in living into truth.<\/p>\n

At a time like this, we owe it to ourselves, our families, teams, communities, and country to\u00a0value and demonstrate honesty. One thing we can all do is pause to check in on our own levels\u00a0of truth, honesty, and integrity. The practice below will help you do this and spread honesty in different settings.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/span>

The Inspiration<\/h4>\n

Honest people do what they commit to do. For instance,\u00a0I am committed to creating relevant content as life unfolds. This time of year, I\u2019d normally write about starting the year strong, replacing an uninspiring resolution with an energizing daily practice, and sharing other topics that move you toward the things you want more of in life.<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t planning to write about honesty this week, but I couldn\u2019t simply go about \u201cbusiness as usual\u201d after the recent events. This change in my writing schedule\u00a0caused a delay in connecting with you, yet this topic of truth feels urgent and relevant right now. My marketing professional and I both committed to pursuing this more authentic pathway, so here we are. Pursuing what seems right isn\u2019t always easy, even in a basic example like this.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re probably already aware that honesty helps build trust and strong relationships, but perhaps you didn\u2019t think about how\u00a0it helps you correct errors in judgment, navigate decisions between what\u2019s easy and what\u2019s right,\u00a0honor your commitments, and own your thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Perhaps most importantly:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026freedom is the bonus you receive for telling the truth.\u201d
\n-Martin Luther King, Jr.<\/em><\/p>\n

To connect the dots: honesty cultivates truth, which leads to freedom. Doesn\u2019t that sound about right?<\/p>\n

In the scientific Character Strengths and Virtues<\/a> framework, honesty<\/a> is one of 4 character strengths within the courage virtue<\/a>. Indeed, the simple act of being honest and speaking the truth is often one of the most difficult and courageous things you can do. Like when speaking out against injustice or standing up to a leader or unpopular opinion.<\/p>\n

One challenging thing about honesty is it seems there are degrees of it and no clear guidelines around when it\u2019s acceptable to shade the truth. For instance, do you need to be so direct when doing so would deeply hurt someone\u2019s feelings without providing any benefit? Perhaps not, depending on the\u00a0situation.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s practice focuses on checking in with yourself and your own levels of honesty, integrity, and authenticity. Experiment with the prompts below to identify where you\u2019re satisfied and where you\u2019re not. Then, take a step that enables you to spread honesty.<\/p>\n

The Practice<\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. On a scale of 1-5, where 1 = virtually never and 5 = virtually always, how often do you:\n
      \n
    • Speak the truth to power?<\/li>\n
    • Model honesty to others?<\/li>\n
    • Refrain from fibbing, even when it suits your purposes to shade the truth?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Focus on the question with the highest score. How or with whom can you speak truth to power, model honesty, or refrain from fibbing even more often? Keep the spread of honesty going.<\/li>\n
    • Focus on the question\u00a0with the lowest score and answer the following:\n
        \n
      • When, with whom, and in which situations do you struggle to express more honesty? Consider that your answer might vary in different situations involving your boss, subordinate, or team; a parent or family member; a sibling or friend.<\/li>\n
      • Name one thing you can do to boost\u00a0authenticity, honesty, or integrity in the situation you described above, and go out and try it. Perhaps you would speak more freely to your boss about the status of a project, demonstrate to your child a difficult but honest choice, or simply catch yourself being on the \u201cwrong side\u201d of the truth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The Reflection<\/h4>\n

        Valuing and demonstrating honesty more often might _____________________.<\/p>\n

        What might it change or improve? Perhaps a project, a partnership, or even the relationship you have with yourself.<\/p>\n

        With respect for truth,
        \nJane<\/p>\n<\/div>

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