Honesty is encouraging

You’ve all seen it—those painfully bad American Idol auditions.

They're cringe-worthy at best. I find myself squirming in my seat. It’s perplexing, oddly fascinating… and honestly, a little heartbreaking.

The worst part?

When the contestant walks off stage, crushed, only to be met by their family saying, “Oh sweetie, those judges don’t know anything. You’re the best singer in the world!”

This is the part that drives me insane.

Why lie to these poor people?

They’re terrible singers. They never should’ve auditioned.

I get it—telling someone the cold, hard truth can be really hard.

You don’t want to hurt feelings, crush dreams, or seem insensitive.

But sometimes? The truth is the kindest, most important thing they need to hear.

A few years ago, I met a lovely family who needed to sell their home and move out of state.

The winters were getting hard. Health issues were piling up. Selling wasn’t optional—it was essential.

I met them at their home and knew right away: this was going to be a tough one.

There was clutter everywhere—inside and out. The house was dirty, dark, and falling apart.

After a quick tour, we sat down.

They told me they needed to be out by September—just three months away.

Money was tight. Resources were limited.

And then they looked at me, hopeful, and asked: “What’s next?”

This was my moment for the cold, hard truth.

Early in my career, I probably would’ve tried to sugarcoat it: “It’s not that bad… buyers can look past your stuff.”

But now I know better.

People don’t hire me to protect their feelings.

They hire me to give them my honest, professional advice—because they’re counting on it.

So I told them the truth:

That no one would buy their home in its current condition. That, given their tight timeline, we needed to price it below market value to attract immediate interest.

Then I helped.

I connected them with contractors, offered suggestions for clearing out the clutter, and gave them a clear, realistic action plan.

And I delivered all of this with sincerity—because I do care how my words land.

At the end of our meeting, they thanked me for my encouraging words.

Encouraging?!

That surprised me at first… until I realized:

Honesty is encouraging—when it comes with a clear plan and a compassionate heart.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

But if you really care about someone, you owe them the truth—and nothing less.

With gratitude.