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Week three
Honesty
“Honesty is the best policy” is a saying we’ve all heard throughout our lives — but is it really? What about white lies? Times when a benign untruth covers a painful reality?
Food for thought
Being honest with yourself is key to making sure you’re acting genuinely and from a place of integrity, and being honest with others can help other people to trust you and through this, to build true connections.
It is important that we don’t mistake honesty for brutality, however — we might tell someone we hate their new haircut and call it honesty, but chances are this will come across as cruel and hurtful. For honesty to truly serve our relationships, it’s great to pair it with empathy.
Having empathy means having the skill to imagine yourself in someone else’s situation to see things from their perspective, such as what they might think or feel. This can be challenging, especially in conflict, if all parties are convinced that their view is the one and only truth.
(It can be interesting to consider whether such a thing as truth even exists — when you think about it, everything we experience is filtered through our personal history, beliefs and emotions).
Take a look at this quick read to learn more about speaking with both honesty and empathy:
Activities
Can you recall three times in the past when you did or said something that took courage?
What helped you act with courage? Was it in a familiar environment
or a new setting?
How did you feel afterwards — maybe there are some bodily sensations you can recall, such as a shaky voice or clammy hands?
How does it make you feel now to think about these times?
You might also like to share one of these occasions with your group!
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
What would give you your strength and courage to do all the good that you do in the world?
Digital Storytelling Toolkit