It isn’t always easy to become a higher version of yourself. There are ugly truths that must be faced in order to change for the better.

I’m not here to say you are a bad person. I cannot make that judgment. But the truth remains, there is always room for improvement, and you can see it in what you’re not doing.

For instance, take a moment and write down a few positive actions you’re taking. Don’t write down your qualities, no, think about what you’ve actually done that’s brought about a positive outcome or helped someone. Ugly truths say that list may be short. It may be hard to think of any positive actions you’ve taken lately, even though you do mean well.

I can attest to this myself. I talk about all the things I want to do to help someone, but I only accomplish around a fraction of those things. To be a better person in life, I have to glance into the ugly face of truth for myself.

There are many things I can do in order to become the person I want to be. It is hard sometimes to face up to this.

There are a few examples of ugly truths, in case you’re wondering what’s holding you back. Take a look.

Ugly truths that bring good outcomes

1. The world only wants what you can provide

No matter how good of a person you think you are, the world only cares how much you can provide with the skills you possess. Do you think the world thinks about your charming personality or your empathetic nature?

I’m sorry, but to the world, these things are just pretty icing on a cake that may or may not taste good to them. What the world wants is someone who can make money, build things, produce things, and provide any demand it throws out.

So, to be a better person, you must accept this truth. It may be a mean-spirited attitude that the world has, but it’s the ugly truth, that the world wants. When you accept this raw honesty, what happens is you learn to love yourself despite what the world wants.

You can choose to provide however you wish, and understand that this is what the world likes, but you can also appreciate who you are, and this makes you better for it.

2. People will let you down

Do you remember telling your best friend that secret and how they promised to never tell anyone? Yeah, they told someone, maybe even a few people. A good friend once told me that when you tell one person a secret, at least one other person will know, and so on.

The ugly truth is, it is almost impossible to have a friend who doesn’t spill the beans occasionally, and at least to one individual.

And that’s not all, people will disappoint you in other ways too. If you think you will get into a relationship and it will be perfect, you are delusional. It will be bad at times, maybe many times. Your employer will not be perfect, your family will not be perfect.

People are imperfect and they cannot do the right thing 100% of the time. So, get used to it.

3. What’s worthwhile requires hard work

You will never be able to have something truly special or productive if you don’t work really hard. I know this is not what you want to hear, but it’s the hard truth.

You know those laid-back people who believe in “taking it easy”, yeah, they usually don’t fulfill great goals in their lives. I promise, just watch them for a while and see for yourself.

If you want to stand out and get a promotion, for instance, you must work your butt off and do so in such a way that you get noticed as a highly productive employee. If you work a little, you will reap only a small reward. If you stay busy and productive, you can fulfill great dreams.

4. Perfect happiness doesn’t exist

If you think some particular thing is all you need to be perfectly happy, you are wrong. There is nothing in the world that can make you happy to the point where you will have no other troubles.

True happiness is within, and I am sure you’ve heard this before. Now, this is true, but, this true happiness from within will also never be perfect. Life is not perfect, we are not either, and the ugly truth is… happiness is fleeting. However, there is nothing wrong with pursuing it anyway. Just always be aware that it doesn’t last forever.

5. You will die

Did you know that for the most part, we ignore the fact that we’re going to die? It might not be tomorrow, next month, or even next year. In fact, we may live a hundred years. But, the fact remains, we will die.

This is an ugly truth that should have you organizing your priorities and getting the most out of each and every day. But since we ignore, deny, or just turn our face away from death, we get lazy and we procrastinate.

Yes, I guess I’m preaching doom and gloom here, but to be honest, you will, someday, somehow… die. So, face it and be better for it too.

The ugliness of truth will help you

Thinking that life is a fairy tale may be fun in the short term, but it will make you waste away in the long run. If we face things in truth, we can find ways to better use our time, hopefully, wisely.

I cannot brag about this at all. I think sometimes I am terrible at facing the truth and its ugliness, and I watch hours of television or scroll mindlessly on the computer. Is this a pattern you recognize in yourself.

I urge you, as a fellow procrastinator, to join me in facing the ugly truths of life. It will hurt, but just think of how worthwhile your life will be when you stop denying what’s really happening. We can do this.

I have faith in you. 😊


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This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Dolly's Dad

    Very good article. There is another ugly truth and that is this place we call the world is Hell. It is a place where the more altruistic your intentions, the more people want to crush you. If you are compassionate and caring, sociopaths will be drawn to you like iron filings to a magnet. As hard as you work to build your desires and dreams, there is someone close to you that wants to steal it away. Deceit and hidden agendas abound at every turn. Schools are not used to educate, but to reprogram out the innate Wisdom our Creator endowed upon us. Governments and politicians don’t serve and protect us, they control and enslave us to do their bidding at the detriment of ours. Genius and advanced thought processes are scoffed at and ridiculed by the morons in charge until they have no choice but to concede and accept. Litigation is designed to favor the predator over the prey. Science and technology research and development is geared more for militarization than societal good. Religion uses fear, guilt, lies and deception to control and subdue rather than enlighten and free.
    These are just a few examples of the catawampus ground rules governing our existence here in Hell. If you want to be a better person, think, introspect and really look at who you are; not who you think you are, to find out the real reason you found yourself in such an awful place. Then implement the changes needed so when you are paroled you can liberate your Spirit and wake up from this nightmare Groundhog Day cycle of abuse and depravity.

    1. Sherrie Hurd, A.A.

      Thank you for reading.

      The world can be hell sometimes, then it can be hell on top of that. You see, I don’t speak negatively, I speak reality. This reality cannot exist without truth. We can seek the truth while knowing ourselves and our capabilities. No one has to tell us what we can or cannot achieve. We know these things when we try. As for the lies and manipulation of the world, well, we have to carefully examine each situation and decide how we’re going to handle things on our own. We are basically all we have when it comes down to it. We may have family and friends, but no one can make the needed decisions for our lives but us. Yes, things are corrupt and frightening, but all the more reason to fortify yourself.

      Be blessed.

  2. Elena

    I have found this article a bit negative. I can’t explain it but I feel some kind of bitterness coming form the author of this article. Cheer up!!

    1. Sherrie Hurd, A.A.

      No bitterness here! I just woke up a few years ago and realized that it’s up to us as human beings to make important things happen. The world owes us nothing. We owe the world nothing except our purpose and goal in life. This we find in ourselves. So, as you say, Cheer up! Some articles that I write aren’t meant to be fluffy, they are meant to help. I wish you well, and hope your day is amazing!

      Thank you for reading, Elena

  3. Patricia hawkins

    I found your article very helpful and enlightening lots of good tips on how to be a better me without candycoating reality but accepting what comes our way with possible solutions to deal with an imperfect world without feeling overwhelmed and that its our fault that my friends is powerful.

    1. Sherrie Hurd, A.A.

      Thank you for reading, Patricia. The truth is so much more than we think it is sometimes.

  4. kaiven fenton

    I’ve been to the deep hellish night of my soul, I’ve had a spiritual emergency 43 years ago and lived disoriented for a year, Nobody helped or supported me. I didn’t go to the doctor for drugs, I survived and today I experience only joy, peace and happiness most, if not all of the time, especially in the summer evenings with the birds trilling their good night songs. Gratitude is always present. Since you created the life you have so far, you can create a much better one, no matter what is going on in the world or with other people around you. Move out of the world and away from unhappy poeple. I am “in the world but not of it.” Evolution of an individual and humanity as a whole and is a brain rewiring. When you focus on taking responsibility for your own life and when Humanity as a whole takes responsibility for its existence, joy and peace will prevail. Of couse it may take a few centuries….that’s a bummer.

  5. Maxim

    Turn the other cheek — get hit with the other fist.

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