I know this will probably seem like a boring idea, since the importance of being honest literally seems like common sense, to say the least. However, there is a need to write about this, because it applies to a whole manner of different things, like relationships, work, opinions, and an individual itself.

Being honest has so many benefits. Just to start, it:

• Helps an individual be true to his or herself: Being honest with yourself helps you to bring out your authenticity and uniqueness as an individual. You do not have to apologize for anything, because it will not offend anyone, unlike if you were caught being someone you are not. You are basically not a “lie”.

• Allow people to appreciate you more: By being honest, people will also genuinely appreciate whatever you have to say, because it is not sugarcoated.
• Does not allow you to manipulate others, or mislead them: Being honest does not allow you to come across as manipulative to some, and does not allow you to accidentally mislead others as well. What you say is what you do, and ends up being final.
• Allows you not to end up hurting people (in a way that leaves them scarred): Even if being honest hurts someone important to you, at least it’s the truth and will not really hurt them for too long. However, if you are dishonest, it will hurt someone even more once the truth comes out. And besides, being dishonest gives you an ugly personality.
• It will flush out the wrong people in your life: By being honest, especially with yourself, you will know what kind of people you want in your life. You will be able to pinpoint the dishonest, manipulative, and inconsistent people in your life and be able to get rid of them at some point.

• You will attract the right people to come into your life: #5 literally explains itself.
• You don’t have to put in a lot of work being someone you’re not: Being yourself is easy, while not being yourself takes so much work.
• People will appreciate your views, because it is solid and consistent, even if it’s something that people disagree on.
• You are less likely to be a narcissist or a sociopath: Narcissists and sociopaths are generally miserable people, and will hurt others to make themselves feel better. Lying and dishonesty is a very common tactic they use to get their way around to people.
• Dishonesty eventually makes you lose all your friends and family, so just be honest to avoid future misery.