We have all lied about something at least once in our life, whether it be to a parent, a friend, a teacher, or a sibling. Do you ever feel guilty after doing so? Do you believe lying is the right thing to do under certain circumstances? Lying can sometimes seem like the easy way out of a difficult situation. You may think that the person will never know that you lied  and you can just work your way around the lie to save yourself. However, you're bound to accidentally say something that you weren't supposed to say and then every little lie comes gushing out in front of you, making yourself look shameful in front of your peers. So why don't we just be honest with each other and ourselves from the beginning instead of building a life with lies that hurt us in the long run. Being honest isn't easy for everyone unless you're a person that thinks it's a sin to lie. We live in a world where there's fraud and deceit everywhere. It's hard not to be manipulated by this world because many of us follow the footsteps of others. Throughout my life I've learned that it is a necessity to be honest with others but most importantly to yourself.
     

Lying starts at a young age but with our innocent minds we don't think much of it. One chilly fall day I remember coming home from school and coming into the kitchen to find something to eat. I was only about 10 years old at that time and I had a huge sweet tooth. I spotted a bowl of leftover Halloween candies and dived my hand in to grab a handful of chocolates. I quickly scurried out of the kitchen so that my mom wouldn't notice but it's almost impossible to hide something from her. She had called me into the kitchen and integrated me about the “missing” chocolates. I remember giving her a smug look and saying, “I don't know what happened to them, I think they disappeared.” After my mom gave me a stern look I confessed to my crime and admitted that I had ate the chocolates. She then sat me down and told me that it was okay if I ate them I just didn't need lie about it. She said that I should've come clean and just told her I ate it instead of making up an excuse because it's not a good thing to lie. My mom had taught me many life lessons while growing up and she always told me not to lie. Young children don't always understand what the concept of lying truly is because they're still young and learning. But making mistakes allows for our parents or guardians to teach us and show us right from wrong. Being honest becomes a core value as you grow and become more aware of your surroundings.
      

Honesty gets challenging as you grow older. Whether it may be being honest about your personal life to being honest about the things you like and don't like to do. When I approached my middle school years I remember feeling scared and nervous. I was gonna be a new student coming into a different environment and I had no idea what to expect. Walking into the doors of Stratford Middle School, I began contemplating whether or not I'd fit in and make friends or not. Middle school is the time when there are different groups of people. There are the cool kids, the nerdy kids, and the jocks. It's easy to fall into the wrong group especially when peer pressure becomes a huge deal as a teen. No one wants to feel out of place, we all want to have a feeling of belonging especially when it comes to a new environment. Throughout middle school I have been guilty of lying in order to be a part of a certain group. I used to agree with liking certain activities just so I could fit in but in reality I sometimes didn't even like the activity that I said did. I would end up regretting it later because it didn't make a happy and I was just being dishonest with myself. Middle school helped me realize that being true to myself is actually what makes me the cool kid. I learned that I shouldn't bury my beliefs but instead stay true to them so that I can be unique and stand out.
      

Honesty become a huge part of my life during high school. While being a captain in Indian Student Association, I learned how important it was to be honest with my dancers and my co-captains. Mr. Erday, the advisor of ISA had taught me a very important life lesson that I always keep in mind till this day. He had taught me the meaning of integrity, which is acting with honesty behind closed doors when no one is watching. This lesson helped me tremendously while I was a captain because it helped me be successful. I learned real quick that in order to maintain a good relationship with my dancers I had to be honest with them and be open about my feelings and opinions. I am guilty of saying I'll post a video of choreography and then forgetting to post it because I got “busy” with other activities. I'm only hurting myself when I say I'll do something for the dancers but then don't do it because it makes me irresponsible and also I can't expect my dancers to be honest with me in return. By being honest I've not only earned respect but trust from my peers because they know that they can have my word when it comes to helping them out.
      

Integrity is not a characteristic that I was born with but rather a quality that I earned as I grew. We make mistakes, lie, get in trouble and make others mad but that's what makes us learn right from wrong. Honesty has now become a moral in my life which I live up to. It makes me happier knowing that I'm staying true to myself and others when I'm being honest even when the honest answer isn't always the most appealing. Being honest with yourself isn't easy but it's the only step that helps you know what's best for you.