It's been said that honesty is the best policy．It sounds like the simplest thing in the world，but being truly honest with others and with yourself can be a real challenge．Most of us learned to be dishonest as children．Remember that dishonesty is rooted in fear，so you must look for and face those fears．By listing areas where you have a problem，and then working to deal with them，you can battle these habits．If you find yourself lying because you fear disapproval from someone，for example，perhaps you need to learn how to stop being a people pleaser and be yourself．Most importantly，admit your errors so that you can forgive yourself and use those experiences to reinforce your determination to do better．
If you feel guilty for having been dishonest in the past，apologize to the person you lied to or find a creative way to make things right．If you've lied to a person who plays an important role in your life （a significant other，relative，or friend），the best （but most difficult） thing to do is to come clean．
Think honestly．This may sound silly，but if you don't think honestly，you won't be honest．
If you're pushed into a corner and don't know how to respond，you have the right to remain silent or say"Can we talk about this another time?"or"I really don't feel comfortable talking about this．"Don't say"I don't know．"
Practice being honest on the simple things．Abraham Lincoln became famous for going to great lengths to return a few cents that did not belong to him，hence the nickname"Honest Abe"．By applying honesty to the little things，you will get in the habit of being honest in general．
