"When you see through the myths, you can rewrite the narratives. Myth #1: My Way or the Highway The message in this faulty myth is that authenticity means you don't care about what anyone else thinks or feels; you're someone who does things your way, no matter how it affects anyone else. Speaking your truth makes you a self-centered, insensitive, emotional bully. The fear of being perceived as this kind of person then keeps you silent and afraid to speak up for yourself."
"It doesn't mean you stop caring about the other person's experience or how your truth impacts them. In reality, it's the opposite. When your truth can be heard and known, you feel more present and seen in the relationship, more connected. As a result, you feel more empathy for other people's experiences. You're open to adjustments and compromises because your needs are also being considered and included."
"Expressing yourself is not an aggression against someone else, as it's been framed through this cultural narrative. It's actually an act of intimacy and a gift to the other person-and to yourself. Speaking your truth is a starting place that offers you a seat at the table so you're not just an invisible peace-keeping need-filler. The idea is not that only your needs matter, but that your needs also matter as much as anyone else's needs. It's always both and not either or."
Cultural myths portray speaking one's truth as selfish or aggressive, which creates fear and silence. One myth claims authenticity means disregarding others' feelings and acting unilaterally, casting truthful expression as emotional bullying. Honest expression actually fosters presence, visibility, and increased empathy, enabling adjustments and compromises because needs are acknowledged. Truth-telling grants a seat at the table so a person is not an invisible peace-keeper. Another myth requires complete, raw confession all at once, implying anything less is failure. Emotional honesty can be gradual and partial rather than all-or-nothing. Rewriting these narratives supports empowered, connected communication.
Read at Psychology Today
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