Honesty is the best policy. But maybe not always. While something may be true for you, it might hurt someone else’s feelings. This doesn’t mean you should outright lie, it’s just that sometimes, some things are better left unsaid or expressed in as fewer words as possible, to spare people from unnecessary hurt.
“When we feel compelled to tell the ‘absolute truth,’ we are actually acting from arrogance rather than kindness,” says psychologist Elisa Robyn, PhD, a relationship and career transitions specialist in Arvada, Colorado. According to Erin Hinek, LPC, head of group practice Fleurish Psychotherapy in Atlanta, Georgia, , “we often feel the urge to tell these secrets or insights because it feels good to us in the short-term, but disclosing may ultimately lead to damaging our relationships.”
To make sure you don’t ruin your relationship with a family member or friend or compromise your chances of ever getting a promotion at work, here are 17 little white lies it’s acceptable to tell when you want to avoid uncomfortable situations.
