How to Stop Deceiving and Lying

The truth hurts. Whether you're the one telling it, or on the receiving end of it, you have probably experienced this timeless cliche firsthand. Lies and deception, however, are going to hurt you and your loved ones far more than that painful truth you are trying to bury. Lying can quickly become a destructive habit with serious consequences, but with a little self-discipline and courage, you can break this habit and regain the trust of others.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand why you lie. If you feel insecure about your shortcomings, or feel that your life isn't as exciting as someone else's, you might make up a lie to make yourself sound more impressive. In reality, you could end up looking like a fool. Most people would prefer the company of an honest person with an average life than a liar whose fabricated life does not exist.

• 2

  Stop a lie in its tracks. When you find yourself inventing an achievement that is not yours, or an interesting situation that never happened, either change the subject or bite your tongue. Lies often multiply and compound on top of each other until you cannot remember what you made up in the first place. By sticking to the truth, you save yourself the overwhelming headache of trying to keep track of everything you said, and the inevitable embarrassment of not being able to do so.

• 3

  Accept consequences of past and current lies. Deceiving others can become all too easy, and once your lies are uncovered you may lose the trust of close friends, family, and coworkers. Casually omitting or altering the truth can be just as detrimental to your life and relationships as telling an outright lie. Admitting to having told a lie -- or leaving out a less desirable part of the truth -- leaves you feeling vulnerable, and it is usually the most difficult and painful aspect of breaking this habit. However, most people understand that lying is part of being human, and they may respect you more for coming clean.

• 4

  Live your life in a way you're proud to tell the truth about. If you make good choices, you will not have to lie about them. You are human, however, and you will make mistakes throughout the course of your lifetime. Once you can accept this, you will not need to make up stories to hide it.