The Big Reveal

Ever feel that your life is living you? Here’s an honest-to-goodness way to rediscover true joy.

- Martha Beck

HUMANS LIE BETTER than any other creatures on earth, and oh, lordy, do we pay a price for it. Lying messes with our mental and physical health, obscures our happiness. When we lie to fit in, to succeed, to get approval, we gain the world—a tiny piece of it, anyway—and in the process lose our souls. Believing our own fibs (“Oh, I’m fine!” “Of course I don’t mind!” “Sure, I’d love to!”), we gradually lose access to the deep truths that allow us to fulfill our destiny.

If you suspect you could get a little closer to your authentic self, I suggest you start with a mental cleanse: one day of total inner honesty. I don’t mean that you should rear up on your hind legs in a meeting and shout, “I hate this freaking job!” Or openly gag when your sister serves her special tuna spaghetti. You cleanse by telling yourself the truth—but make it the whole truth. Is your “I’m sorry” a true apology or a little white lie to smooth things over? Are you really hungry for the malted milk balls you’re eating? Do you honestly want to have dinner with that particular friend? You don’t have to reveal the answers to anyone else until you’re ready. The path to integrity turns inward before it leads outward.