If there’s one thing that is integral in any relationship, it is honesty. Approximately 25% of all relationships involve infidelity- the ultimate form of dishonesty. Hence, the importance of honesty in a relationship cannot be taken lightly. ; It’s hard to earn trust in a relationship and one dishonest act can shatter that trust and lead to serious trust issues.
But where does honesty begin in a relationship? It begins with yourself. If you can’t be honest with your own self, you can’t be honest to your partner. So, before seeking out to earn trust in a relationship you must practice telling the truth with yourself.
How To Practice Honesty With Yourself
We all know that we must indeed learn how to be honest with ourselves so we can be honest in a relationship. We hear be honest to yourself a lot! Be honest to yourself, meaning, know what you want from yourself, from a relationship and to not. live in denial.
Sometimes, we tend to not know what we want in a relationship ourselves. We think we are ready for a long term committed relationship, but in reality, we are not.
What does it mean to be honest with yourself?
Being honest with yourself involves deep introspection. It involves asking ourself the tough questions. ‘Do I want this? Is this right for me? or, Am I just doing this because my parents think it’s right for me or society thinks it’s right for me?’
Just because your parents or society deem it’s right for you does not make it wrong, what matters is that you know why you’re doing a particular thing yourself and are not confused. This will ensure that you’re not confused in your relationship and do not give a false image to your partner either.
2. Being aware of your own insecurities builds trust
No one likes realising that they are being petty and insecure. So one often tends to take it out on the other person instead of actually questioning oneself. This kind of negative feeling only makes things worse. You find yourself checking your partner’s phone when they shower. You often wonder if they are out with someone else when they say they are working overtime.
Such doubts often pave the way for self-destruction. So instead of being suspicious, you need to be more aware of what you are feeling and then try to find out why you feel this way. If that doesn’t help, communicate with your partner. After all, they promised to stay by your side always, didn’t they?
An honest relationship is healthy and secure where both partners trust each other and communicate freely. Are you in a healthy relationship or a toxic one?
3. You begin to communicate better
When you are aware of your own needs and shortcomings, it is easier to deal with the person in front of you. You can be clearer about what you feel and how. Not only will this lessen confusion on each side but also build a stronger base for your relationship.
No one came into this with a manual in hand, right? So the clearer things are on either side, the more solid your relationship will be. The importance of honesty in a relationship is being fully realised when you can communicate better and in a more open manner with your partner.
4. You accept what you deserve and nothing less
Not knowing what we want and desire might mean we get stuck in unfulfilling relationships all our lives. Some of us skip from one relationship to another due to this. Others just continue being unhappy in an unfulfilling relationship.
This is why it is important to understand ourselves better before we get involved with someone. One must learn what they desire and deserve and only go for that. Anything less will only end up in heartbreaks and mess.
“We accept the love we think we deserve” – The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is a very powerful line as it means that our impression of ourself is what allows us to determine what kind of love we deserve. So, if we intrinsically think we don’t deserve honest, healthy love, we will seek partners that are unfulfilling. We may not even know it but we involuntarily make ourselves unhappy.
This is why being honest with yourself psychology will allow us to determine what we think we deserve and change our expectations. Once we do this, we will realise our self-worth and not stay with partners we don’t deserve.
5. You get better sex
This might be an unexpected perk but it is still one. After all, only when you know what motions and emotions get us going behind the bedroom door, can you actually ask for it. Understand and be more vocal about your needs, even if it involves whips and handcuffs, and, believe me, you will never complain about your sex life being monotonous again.
Only when you know yourself can you actually be more vocal about your needs and create a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. There is no better way to understand your relationship and the person in front of you than by being honest with yourself first.
Which is why you should overthink less and practise more. And who knows? You might suddenly realise that your partner is the one you really won’t mind arguing with for the rest of your life.
