What Are You Saying? – Being Honest

Words are important. They can make or break. Words can start something beautiful, and they can also end beautiful things. Words can create terrible situations, and they can also resolve bad circumstances.

We should have a strategy for dealing with situations in life. One effective strategy is to be honest with ourselves. That means I must always be truthful about what I am feeling at any given moment. The last person you should lie to is yourself. I may overlook when someone lies to me, but lying to myself is foolish. Always be honest with yourself.

I have seen people lie to themselves to portray a certain image—images of strength, wealth, health, and more. In their effort to project the wrong impression, they consciously lie to others, which is both harmful and pitiful.

There are also those who lie to themselves to cheer themselves up. Over time, they subconsciously become dishonest and start lying to others. While their initial intent may not be malicious, their habitual self-deception eventually leads them to project false images to the people around them. This is when dishonesty becomes harmful.

If any of these scenarios apply to you, I encourage you to turn that ship around and get on the path of honesty. Being truthful about your situation and acknowledging it to yourself is the first step toward peace of mind and finding real solutions.

Lies and deceit breed anxiety, but truth builds stability and brings meaningful results. The journey may not be easy, but the destination—peace—is guaranteed.

We all want to protect ourselves, our images, and our minds. I understand that. What we say to ourselves is a necessary means of coping with life and maintaining stability. A good word can alleviate anxiety.

“I am good. I am excellent. I am brilliant. I am independent. I am a good mother. I will come out of this issue with laughter and praise.”

When you are honest with yourself, you are in a better position to choose the right words to say to yourself. We need to focus on what we are saying—the words that come out of our mouths. Sometimes, a good word might simply be, “I will seek help.”

A good word is light. Light brightens. Light illuminates. Light offers protection.

We must always keep good words close by to speak over ourselves continually.

What Are You Saying to Others?

The same positive effect that good words have on us can be extended to others. What are you saying to others?

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.” (Proverbs 12:18, NKJV)

While people may not always be available to support us when we need them, we should actively seek opportunities to be there for others when they need us. This principle applies even when we are facing our own struggles. Putting aside our burdens to help someone else often lightens the weight of our own challenges.

Promote health and well-being by speaking good words to others. A good word can take many forms—a piece of advice, a word of knowledge, or even sharing valuable information. It may not always be a scripture, but it can still lift someone out of anxiety and stress of the unknown.

A good word should correct without judgment. Negative or judgmental words are like the piercings of a sword. They erode confidence, inflict pain, and often leave lasting scars. Not everyone can recover quickly from such injuries, especially when caused negligently or maliciously.

Saying bad or harmful words is not a joke because the harm they cause is real. Before speaking, think about the impact of your words. Bad words are not limited to insults; they can also be condescending or misleading.

Sometimes, it is better to say fewer words. Explaining too much or over-clarifying can overwhelm and create confusion for the person you are trying to encourage. Effective communication involves pausing to listen and carefully considering whether what you’re about to say is necessary.

When encouraging others, speak with humility. Don’t encourage someone just to elevate your image or appear more accomplished. Instead, speak because it is what they need, and allow yourself to be a channel for delivering this encouragement.

When I speak to others, I do so not because I am free from struggles but because I choose to look beyond myself and be a vessel for good words. It is important to remember that those we look up to for inspiration are living in the same world as we do. Although they may sometimes go through life differently, they also face challenges. We must not judge them harshly when we discover their struggles.

If you don’t have a good word to share, it’s better to remain silent.

I have seen people refuse to seek prayers for their health situations because they feared others would see their ailments as a weakness. Living under such pressure is harmful. Likewise, we should not allow ourselves to be held under such pressures by others. It’s okay to ask for help.

Keep good words in circulation. Let kindness flow through your encouraging words. Good words ease the tension of striving for perfection and create an atmosphere where everyone can keep moving forward.

Stay tuned for the next feature on “What Are You Saying?”