Freedom Comes with Knowing the Truth
See the Desert Bloom!
The spring flowers are justifiably world famous in South Africa's Western Cape. Seeing the desert bloom in the hot and usually dry landscape is a sight for sore eyes, a treat I like to indulge in when feasible.
Several years ago, Judy and I had agreed to drive up the coast to appreciate nature's remarkable abundance. The weather was lovely that weekend - as were the flowers. We'd timed the trip to perfection and I was looking forward to enjoying the beauty of the Western Cape spring.
Several years ago, Judy and I had agreed to drive up the coast to appreciate nature's remarkable abundance. The weather was lovely that weekend - as were the flowers. We'd timed the trip to perfection and I was looking forward to enjoying the beauty of the Western Cape spring.
Yet when Saturday came, she'd made other plans! If she'd let me know as soon as she knew she would no longer be available, I could have gone with someone else. I felt let down, disappointed. I'd allowed myself to be vulnerable.
An interesting question to contemplate is,
What does telling the truth at all times even mean? Let's get some clarity on this important issue, and explore the five levels of truth-telling.
An interesting question to contemplate is,
If everyone did this, would things improve? Or would they get worse?
Would we all benefit? Would the world be a better place if we all told the truth? Is "The truth shall set you free" factually correct? And does it mean telling the truth at all times?What does telling the truth at all times even mean? Let's get some clarity on this important issue, and explore the five levels of truth-telling.
#1 - Tell the truth to yourself about yourself
Sunday morning we got up late and some friends called for brunch. After lunch, a walk on the mountain seemed far more attractive, it was a gorgeous day. When the walk was over I wasn't in the mood, and anyway it was far too late. Despite my good intentions, on Sunday evening the gate was still not fixed.
When you don't tell the truth, you are deceiving someone. In this case - myself, as well as my long-suffering partner. When the muscle of your will is not exercised, it becomes flabby. And with no power, your word is not much help to you in creating your future!
So be very careful what you promise yourself. The only way to have your word mean anything is to keep your word. Always! Start by making small easily-kept promises, and then ensure you keep them.
#2 - Tell the truth to yourself about another
Sondra used to say 'My husband really loves me' even though Peter came home late most nights. Yet the actual reason was not that he didn't love her, but because he just didn't know how to relate to the kids - or to her.
Now the truth can hurt, so Sondra didn't want to find out the truth. She thought it would be too painful, and preferred to deceive herself.
Yet would she have benefited by facing the truth? The decisions she was making would affect the whole family.
Which would give a better future for all concerned? For her to come to a mistaken conclusion in her ignorance or, no matter how painful, for her to know the truth?
Now the truth can hurt, so Sondra didn't want to find out the truth. She thought it would be too painful, and preferred to deceive herself.
Yet would she have benefited by facing the truth? The decisions she was making would affect the whole family.
Which would give a better future for all concerned? For her to come to a mistaken conclusion in her ignorance or, no matter how painful, for her to know the truth?
#3 - Tell the truth to another about yourself
One time I insisted to my ex-wife, Luiza, that things were "fine." Things were not fine, we'd had a row and I wasn't talking to her although she wanted to be friends with me. So I denied what I was really feeling, and closed off communication with the one person I really cared about and loved.
Did this help? Absolutely not. Now I can't even remember what the argument was about. But we are no longer together. Although I am pleased to be able to say we are still friends.
Opening up can be scary, it means willing to be vulnerable. And I'm pleased to find the more I open up to others, the more others open up to me. I'm finding that allowing myself to be vulnerable helps me to communicate better.
#4 - Tell the truth to another about him/herself
One time I invited James to play Cash Flow 101, Robert Kiyosaki's introductory game to become financially intelligent. James was rather a scatter brain, although he liked to think of himself as a fast, effective decision-maker. So he took short cuts. His game card did not audit on four occasions, and each time we had to pause the game to find the problem before we could continue.
Telling the truth to him about himself - that more haste gives less speed - was difficult. Fortunately he accepted the truth gracefully, and was willing to grow from the experience. Was it easy for him to do this? Yet it was beneficial.
Telling the truth to him about himself - that more haste gives less speed - was difficult. Fortunately he accepted the truth gracefully, and was willing to grow from the experience. Was it easy for him to do this? Yet it was beneficial.
#5 - Tell the truth to everyone about everything
Telling the truth to everyone about everything has many advantages:
- It's a lot easier to remember what you said when you only tell the truth
- If people check up on what you said, they will always find that you told the truth. So they see you as honest and reliable
- Truth has power, so when you tell the truth, then you increase your personal power along with your integrity
- One untruth leads to another. An untruth, once told, then leads to a thousand others to back it up. And eventually you can become so lost in a web of lies that you can't even remember what is true and what is not.
Could this be one reason why some people have such bad memories? They have told so many untruths to so many people that they have forgotten what actually happened!
You can fool some of the people some of the time
- and you can fool all of the people some of the time
- but you can't fool all of the people all of the time!
These five levels of truth-telling come from the amazing work of Neale Donald Walsch.
Honesty and Sincerity
Some believe they know all this. But if what you know is not bringing you the results you want then you do NOT know that the truth will set you free. Free means you have the freedom to achieve the goals you really desire. You can't fool the universe, the proof of validity lies in your current circumstances.
When you do not tell the truth, then you deceive. Either yourself - or others. No matter where you are going, or where you want to get to, deception will impede you in getting there.
Whether it's deception about where you are now, deception about where you want to get to, or deception about what needs to be done in order to get there - it's still deceiving. To know the truth you have to tell the truth, only then can it work its magic - and set you free.
We all laugh at:
When you do not tell the truth, then you deceive. Either yourself - or others. No matter where you are going, or where you want to get to, deception will impede you in getting there.
Whether it's deception about where you are now, deception about where you want to get to, or deception about what needs to be done in order to get there - it's still deceiving. To know the truth you have to tell the truth, only then can it work its magic - and set you free.
We all laugh at:
Honesty and sincerity are really important in life today.
If you can fake these, you've got it made!
Your Next Step
Self sabotage has a major effect on all our lives. It's easily seen in other people, but very difficult to see your own. But you can see its results! You end up in undesirable situations and it's difficult to enjoy circumstances you do want.So bookmark this site - it costs nothing to keep exploring...
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Self-Sabotage? What it is, Why we do it, When we do it, How to Overcome It!
Food for Thought
"As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world ... as in being able to remake ourselves."
Mahatma Gandhi, statesman who led India to independence through non-violence
and inspired freedom across the world. (1869 – 1948)