Every friend group has at least one, or at least every group that I’ve been in. We all know that one person who will never fail to tell you exactly how they feel. Not that the rest of our friends are liars, but there’s a certain breed of human that is far more blunt than the rest. Even though it’s not always what we want to hear, sometimes we need the truth; the cold hard truth. No fabrication. No nonsense. We hate them, but we love them because we know that their honesty is only out of love. There’s pros and cons that come along with being the honest one in the group. I mean, it’s not exactly easy to tell your best friend that dress really does look terrible on her or calling out when somebody’s being a jerk. Hey, somebody has to say it, though! Here are just a few of the things that come along with being that friend.
1. People come to you for advice
When it comes to advice, we all need somebody who tells it like it is. Nobody wants advice from somebody who’s only going to say what you want to hear. The honest friend will never let you hit on the girl that you have no shot with or buy that hideous shirt. Whether it be a serious or simple opinion, there’s no better person to seek out when uncertainty arrises.
2. You're not afraid of making enemies
Some people just can’t handle the truth, and that’s fine. You're just not the friend for them, and that’s fine, too. The truth of the matter is that no matter who you are, not everybody’s going to like you. You can’t be best friends with everyone. If you’re really being honest, you probably don’t like them much either. Who needs them?
3. You have no patience for fakeness and liars
Being brutally honest leaves you with a low tolerance for lies. When you always say what’s on your mind, you expect everybody else to do the same. Finding out that’s not the truth is one of the most difficult revelations for the honest friend to accept. Being lied to, along with dealing with having to deal with visibly fake people, is your biggest pet peeve. You can spot a liar or a faker from a mile away, and you're not afraid to call it out when you do. You’re better off utilizing your innate fakeness tracker and avoiding them at all costs.
4. You're honest to a fault
We all have our faults, and perhaps yours is being just a little bit too honest. Sometimes people just don’t understand our honesty, but sometimes we must admit that we have a tendency to take things too far. Sometimes it’s better to just be sensitive to your friends’ feelings and listen rather than share your opinions. Share when you're asked to, but also learning when to hold back how you feel when the moment just isn't right is important.
5. You have no filter
Being blunt is not always the greatest attribute in every situation. You often speak before you think through in your head what exactly you're saying. Sometimes that may lead to you saying something stupid, but sometimes it’s even worse than that. Revealing secrets or blurting out insulting or insensitive statements are only two of the possible outcomes of "word vomit." You have to work hard to be conscious of the things that you say and the circumstances that you say them.
6. You're a terrible liar
More often than not, the most honest people are that way mainly because they can’t lie. Whether it’s the guilt or simply a lack of skill, the honest friend has a hard time when it comes to lying, and it’s obvious. It’s a blessing and a curse. While it’s inconvenient when lying is the easiest way of handling a situation, you have a much easier time earning the trust of those who know you when it’s clear that you are inherently honest. You may not be able to lie to your parents about where you’re really going on Friday night, but you’ll have much less of a problem earning their permission to go when they trust you.
7. You're usually right ...
Or at least you think that you are right. You tell it like it is because you're confident in your assertions. When you speak your truth, you’re likely to be speaking the general truth as well. You feel as though you need to express your thoughts and feelings because you'll be doing those around you a disservice by holding it inside. Viewing the world from an honest perspective, those who say what’s on their mind are likely to be speaking from an objective standpoint. Those easily offended can’t handle these kinds of friends because they can’t handle the validity of their remarks. They know that you're right, and that’s what bothers them. Your honest friends see the world through the most transparent of lenses. Trust their truths.
