There is no doubt that the vast majority of individuals who live on this planet understand that honesty is the best policy, but perhaps few actually understand precisely why this is true. To put it quite simply, the fact is that honest living can lead to happy living, and it is the individual who is happy in their life that most often succeeds in their life.
Honesty and Happiness
It may seem like nothing to occasionally participate in dishonest actions. For example, a small white lie can appear to be perfectly harmless and unable to create any sort of lasting ramifications. However, the truth is that an individual who is being dishonest is hiding things, not only from himself but from others as well, and these things cannot remain hidden on their own.
The domino effect of dishonest behavior can easily be seen when one considers how a single lie can cause an individual to have to remember an alternate reality. If there is an occasion where that single lie can be exposed, the individual often feels that he must cover it up with another lie. This can continue on and on as the individual struggles to keep up with their own lies, spinning them further and further into their own whirlpool of dishonesty. Other dishonest behavior, like taking something that does not belong to them, can also act as a persistent source of trouble for the individual, who is constantly worried about whether they will be caught and found out. This may make them feel disgruntled and even threatened by their fellow man, which can cause them to withdraw more from others around them.
An individual who is being dishonest may feel that they are taking necessary shortcuts in their life in order to achieve desired goals. Oddly enough, however, even if their dishonest behavior can successfully lead them to their goals, they rarely enjoy these goals as they are so entirely focused on how they reached them and whether they will be found out. On the other hand, an individual who lives honestly can find that their life is full of difficult challenges and problems that can be uncomfortable to face and overcome, but are all the more rewarding when they are overcome. After all, there is no doubt that great happiness can be derived when an individual recognizes difficulties in their life and yet successfully resolves them.
The Dynamic of Life
It may be very true that an individual must live a lot for himself. Throughout his life he will have to consider what he really needs and wants, and take the time to make sure that he is doing what is best for himself. That said, an individual simply cannot hope to have a happy, healthy life without giving and receiving support and encouragement to and from others. This is what can lead to one’s success in life, and is therefore critically important to their overall health and well-being. However, one simply cannot expect to do well in groups if he cannot be honest with himself and with others. While honest individuals tend to immerse themselves in groups and rapidly gain the support of many close friends, dishonest individuals tend to pull away from groups in an effort to hide their dishonesty from others, or perhaps even in the hopes that this separation will enable them to stop participating in their dishonest behavior. This cannot lead to a happy, successful life. The individual who recognizes that honesty may be hard work but it is truly the very best policy will have a very fulfilling life.
