A relationship, either one of friendship or a romantic relationship take time to build, require attention, and an investment in many areas including the most delicate of all, the heart. When we begin a relationship, although we may not realize it, we are looking for common characteristics. Those being honesty, genuineness, trustworthiness, integrity, and openness. These are at the core of sincerity, and become a large part of how we measure the quality of our relationships.
The more we pour into a relationship; the more we expect these characteristics in abundance. Consider, have you ever heard someone say "He/She can't be trusted, is full of themselves and deceitful but that is ok I'm still all in; we are a go"? I can assure you I would be out lickety-split. No thank you, I do not need a hurt like that. Thus, most of the time, subconsciously or not, we are assessing the sincerity of someone to decide if we want to move forward or retreat back.
Can we achieve and expect sincerity from ourselves and others? I believe the answer is a resounding yes! However, it is difficult and all of us will fall short sometime. I can almost hear your voices as I write, “Difficult oh come on, what is so hard about just being a good person”? Well, here is the thing: to be honest, genuine, and open with someone requires you to be vulnerable. Yes, it does, and vulnerability can be dangerous. Vulnerability is the place where we become most exposed to “heart hurt”. However, it is also the place where we become most exposed to complete joy. So, take a chance and work on perfecting your sincerity with those around you. Open yourself up to utter joy. It is worth the risk!
Blog post written by Wellness Contributor Dawn Rayburn, EDS, NBCT, LPC for Embrace Candles
Photos by Odonata Wellnesscenter, Jasmine Carter from Pexels
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