Stop Announcing Honesty — Start Embodying It
“Let me be honest with you…”
“To be completely transparent…”
I often hear people say the above, and I have been guilty of it in the past.
And every time I hear this, I pause.
Because when you have to announce honesty, it means it isn’t your default.
Honesty needs to come naturally, like breathing.
I’ve learned this truth from countless coaching sessions and real conversations. At IntuiWell, we see it often.
People crave authenticity yet hesitate to live it.
They hold back small truths to stay polite or avoid tension.
But the irony is: silence costs more than honesty ever will.
When you speak the truth early, when things are still small, it rarely stings.
It creates clarity, not conflict.
But when you wait, the truth hardens.
It gathers emotion, resentment, and misunderstanding.
Then, when it finally surfaces, it cuts deeper than it should have.
Years ago, I used to soften feedback to keep harmony.
It felt kind in the moment, but it created confusion later.
That taught me: honesty delayed is honesty denied.
Here’s how I practice it now and teach in the Personal Growth Program:
- Audit your language
- Observe when you say “to be honest” or “frankly.”
- Replace it with calm openness.
- Make truth your standard tone.
- Speak early
- Share the truth when the stakes are still low.
- The earlier you address it, the gentler it lands.
- Align your intent
- Ask: “Am I saying this to help or to win?”
- Honesty with clean intent builds trust, not walls.
- Model transparency
- Admit when you don’t know.
- Explain your reasoning.
- People trust what they understand.
Everything becomes clearer when honesty is who you are, not just what you do.
Your presence feels grounded.
Your words carry weight.
And your relationships, both personal and professional, deepen naturally.
Speak the truth early, and it will always serve you.
So, Stop Announcing Honesty — Start Embodying It.
Question for you:
When was the last time you softened a truth and paid for it later?