Tell the Truth (on leave)
Avoiding conflict feels easy, but the hidden cost of a lie is always our own freedom.
From a young age, we’re taught that honesty matters, yet we quickly learn how to lie to get what we want. We often claim we’re “protecting” someone else, but the truth is something else: living honestly requires us to confront difficult things, face people, and navigate conflict. We lie because we are afraid, routinely choosing conflict avoidance over reality.
But lying comes with a heavy price. When we’re caught, we lose trust, which is ultimately all we have, and the deceit eats away at us from the inside. I’ve lied many times in my life, both to others and to myself. Only when you learn to face your fears and accept the consequences do you muster the courage to be truly honest. When you live in honesty, you live in alignment, and you remain free. My greatest wish for my children is that they find the bravery to always speak the truth, so they can live a life of genuine freedom.