What Could Happen If We Decided to Speak Only the Truth With Everyone

Think about how many small lies you have told in the last 24 hours and you may realize that it’s a lot. We so often find ourselves telling little lies to make others feel better about themselves, but when we start only telling the truth, our friends may not like us so much. We may change how we see ourselves after receiving brutally honest feedback, as well as become more accepting of others.

Bright Side has imagined what the world would look like if we all started to tell the truth tomorrow, and it comes with some uncomfortable and entertaining results.

1. We would be more accepting and forgiving.

A truthful world would mean having to confront difficult truths about yourself and your loved ones. This will probably make us more forgiving and accepting, as we aren’t so perfect ourselves and wouldn’t be able to hide our own imperfections.

2. We may sleep better.

In a world where everyone tells the truth, there would most likely be less anxiety and worrying. After we tell a lie, big or small, we can easily stay up at night regretting it. One study shows just how stress can negatively impact our quality of sleep, meaning that a peaceful mind can result in peaceful sleep.

3. We would change how we see ourselves.

If everyone told us the truth when we asked for their opinion, the way we see ourselves could completely change. You would get more honest feedback about what looks good on you, the quality of your work, and how well you kiss. It may not be what you want to hear, but it would give us a true idea of ourselves rather than just responding to what we want to hear.

4. We would learn to be more honest and kind.

By being more honest with each other, we wouldn’t worry about uncomfortable social situations that we normally avoid. In the long run, it’s better to tell the truth — even if it hurts the person — because it can save them a lot of struggle and pain.

Telling a bad singer that they are good won’t necessarily help them in their attempt to become an international star. Therefore, we would learn to tell the truth tactfully and kindly, rather than depending on little lies.

5. Our health would be better.

One study shows that telling lies can cause physical discomfort, while those who strive to only tell the truth reported fewer health problems. It also found that the people who lied less had fewer everyday health issues, like sore throats and headaches.

6. We’ll discover who our true friends are.

This would be a world where we’d learn what our friends really think of us and who our true friends actually are. Very quickly we’d discover who’s hanging around us just to be polite but don’t actually like us.

7. We would be offended a lot more often.

The truth can hurt when our friends tell us that our clothes don’t look nice, they didn’t enjoy a meal we cooked, or that they don’t want to see us again. In fact, sometimes socially acceptable lies are an important part of friendship.

What do you think about always telling the truth? Have you told a big lie recently that you regret?