No one, at least that I know, likes to be blamed for wrongdoing. No one enjoys hearing what they don't want to hear. Sometimes the truth hits us like a slap in the face. We don't want to take full responsibility for not living up to our best selves.

We are imperfect people in an imperfect world. So why do we expect to be 100% perfect or 100% right in all we do? Why are we so quick to take offense at an observation of our actions or words?

I am telling you right now, the truth may not always be what we want to hear, but it is a necessary stepping stone in our growth.

Who are your close friends currently in life? The people you look up to for wisdom and advice? Are they supporting you by telling you the truth of the matter?

Be wary of the friend that values your opinion and friendship so much that they withhold the truth from you. That friend will not be helping you step into your best self; instead, they'll be hindering any room for growth by justifying your opinions.

I've had to learn this lesson the hard way. The truth hurts!

Another reason why it's imperative to heed honesty in our lives is that sometimes our circumstances blind us to the reality of a situation.

You might be in a toxic relationship, but you're blinded by love to see it. A true friend will give you her honest observations of the relationship, even if you don't want to hear that 'he's not the one for you'. Or maybe you're dealing with a tricky situation with your parents. When you recounted the scenario to your friend, a true friend won't be afraid to tell you that you reacted quickly with anger in that situation. Maybe it's your boss. After a quick meeting, you learned a few pointers of how you can better your work.

Whatever it is, I promise you that if somebody loves you and genuinely cares, they will tell you the truth; not to intentionally hurt you, but because they know you and want to see you thrive.

In a less serious example, have you ever had food stuck in your teeth before? Or chocolate from granola bar or donut on your face? Ha, it's happened to the best of us. When you realized you had food in your teeth, I bet you thought something like, "Why didn't somebody tell me?!". See, you would rather KNOW about the issue right away so that you could fix it. In this case, a true friend wouldn't be worried about insulting you because she'd/he'd know that'd you would thank them later for the head's up.

In the same way, I think it's important to speak truth into our friendships. A valuable friendship is one that encourages, strengthens, listens, and cares.

So thank you, to my friends who haven't been afraid to tell me when I'm overstressing, being moody, dramatic or selfish. You've taught me how to take responsibility for my actions, forgive myself, and move on.