The times when I have looked someone in the whites of their eyes and really spoken my truth are moments I will never forget. Even if it was scary to do at the time, I felt completely exhilarated afterwards. As a result, stuck situations started to move again. I think this is what Jesus meant by: The truth shall set you free.

The way to a life of peace and happiness is to move from Hiding Out to Revealing All. The road to freedom lies in becoming more visible. The easiest way to start is by getting honest with yourself. This is the first of the 5 levels of truth telling.

Tell the truth to yourself about yourself. Even this can be hard! The quickest way to get to your truth is through your feelings. Look to how you are feeling. If it helps, write it down or speak it out loud. Remember this is your truth so don’t worry about what others think.

The next step is to tell the truth to yourself about another. This can be even tougher. It can bring up fears about breaking your promises or hurting another’s feelings. Just be honest with yourself and go gently.

Next, tell the truth to another about yourself. Be strong and of good courage. Be careful not to withhold important information. This doesn’t mean you have to share every thought, observation or past memory as this would drive you mad! But it is about making sure that everyone is playing with all the cards on the table. Total visibility means hiding nothing.

Then, tell the truth to the other about that other. You may feel afraid of hurting someone else’s feelings or that they leave the room. Telling the truth is sometimes uncomfortable. Remind yourself that it is more important how you send a message than how it is received.

Finally tell the truth to everyone about everything. Become a spiritual warrior and bring the sword of truth to bear in all situations. Can you imagine what our world would like if we shared all there was to know about everything? It would turn this world upside down. It would be revolutionary!

Ultimately I think that truth is who we are. Perhaps this is why we all seem to have a pretty reliable bullshit detector inside?

In a nutshell

“Honesty is the highest form of love” (CWG)

Applying this wisdom

1. Think of a time when you have been radically honest with yourself. How did this make you feel? Allow yourself to step into that feeling.

2. Bring that feeling to bear as you think of a current situation where you would like to be more honest with yourself. What would you say to yourself? Write this down.

3. Practise speaking your truth to the one in the mirror. How does this feel? If any uncomfortable feelings come up, notice them and watch them pass.

4. What would you now like to tell another based on what you have told yourself? Practise telling them out loud. Notice if you feel ready to do this for real or not.