Honest People: Character Traits And Behavior
Honest people never try to please everyone. They do not like hypocrisy, which is why they do not hesitate to use the only language they know: honesty. They are loyal and determined in their beliefs. Furthermore, they know how to create strong and meaningful bonds with people they consider worthy of their friendship.
Some people like to say that they always defend and praise the truth. But the moment someone else decides to be honest, these people will often criticize them. People’s actions do not always match their words and beliefs.
We are often aware of how we feel, but still communicate the opposite. We do it because of social conditions or fear of hurting others or drawing attention to us.
This shows how valuable honest people are. They are brave enough to be consistent with their thoughts and actions. Few social and psychological aspects are as necessary as honesty. It is this dimension that Thomas Jefferson considered to be the first chapter of wisdom and what Mark Twain referred to as a lost art.
There is one aspect of honesty we must keep in mind: we always demand it of others. Thanks to it, we can build lasting relationships based on trust. The people we love must always be sincere and authentic.
Honest people do not wear banners or T-shirts with “hashtags” on them that define who they are. They are important that we learn to identify themselves. A good way to do this is by listening, observing and connecting with the people around us. We must also understand that honesty does not need justification.
Let’s develop these ideas.
They do not waste time on what they do not like
Julius Maximilian University in Würzburg, Germany, conducted a study to dig deeper into this dimension. The first aspect they discovered was that honest people often save time in many of their situations. They do not walk like cats around hot porridge and do not waste time on people they dislike or who do not share their values.
They distance themselves from these people, respectfully but firmly. By doing so, they neither give nor expect justification. They know how counterproductive it is to drag out situations that can have bad consequences in the long run.
They do not lie and do not tolerate lies
Psychology professor Daniel Ariely delves into this issue in his famous book The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone – Especially Ourselves. According to the author, we all see ourselves as honest people. We like to forget the times when we lied to others, and instead maintain a spotless self-image.
Those who are truly honest do not tolerate lying to themselves or others. They do not like lies because it creates an unpleasant cognitive dissonance that attacks their identity and self-esteem.
Calm personalities, calm minds
According to Dr. Anita E. Kelly – Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, Paris – honest people are happier and healthier. According to her, honesty, not lying and being genuine towards oneself and what is said can generate higher well-being.
A person’s health is a direct reflection of his inner balance and peace of mind.
They know how to build meaningful relationships
Dishonesty and not showing any integrity is unnatural for these people. These cognitive dissonances make them uncomfortable. Therefore , honest people value that you can build relationships based on trust. They always make sure to show their true, authentic selves in a sincere and respectful way. In turn, they demand the same of the people who are a part of their daily lives.
This may explain why honest people have so many trustworthy people in their lives. The number of friends they have does not matter. They only care about surrounding themselves with people they can trust; genuine people with whom they can have reciprocal relationships.
Finally, we would like to mention one more aspect. Honesty is an ethical principle; a value that helps to create a more integrative and healthy society. But this dimension, which we all believe we possess, is not always exercised in a true and respectful way. We often tell white lies, such as hide our true feelings.
We cannot always express our true thoughts; it’s okay to filter out the information we provide based on the situation. But despite that, honesty is a very important pillar of respect for ourselves and others.
