Do you know someone who is a habitual liar? Someone who is untruthful, deceptive, and who shares falsehoods on a regular basis? The reality is, we all have a tendency to lie in some fashion. The distinction is whether it is a chronic behavior detrimental to yourself and those around you.

A loyal subscriber recently told me about someone she knows who is a constant liar. She asked me how to get it to stop. So naturally I hit the Internet to find some answers. The following are links to articles I found to be most helpful in recognizing lying in adults and children, and what we can do to get it to stop:

1. This first link is to a 7-part article on How Lying Works. I found these articles to be most enlightening as an overview. It defines lying, how it works, the signs of deception, and how to tell if someone is lying (Also at: http://people.howstuffworks.com/lying.htm).

2. This article is all about How To Stop Lying, in a 3-step process, with illustrations. (Also at: http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Lying)

3. Now let’s talk about getting kids to stop lying, which is where we should start. By the time a person reaches adulthood, it is much more difficult to stop such negative behavior. This article on the 10 Steps to Help a Child Stop Lying and Tell the Truth is a great pre-cursor to the video lesson shown in the next piece. (Also at: https://www.verywell.com/steps-help-child-stop-lying-tell-the-truth-1094945)

4. Lastly, this 9-minute video by Dr. Bryan Post employs a reasonable method to help kids stop lying. It may even be adaptable and applicable to an adult. See Why Kids Lie and How to End It Now! (Also at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHlJEr4ebM0). If you try it, please let me know how it turned out.

The bottom-line is that whenever we encounter someone who is constantly lying, it is a negative behavior that is not respectful, kind, or considerate (which is etiquette). It must be stopped, whether it is in ourselves, or in others we know, at any age.

I hope this newsletter gives you some insights and ideas on this important trait no one should possess. By eliminating lying, we will all live more healthy and productive lives, which will ultimately lead to a better life and world.

Happy Practicing!
P.S. Let me know if you know someone who constantly lies, and any antidotes you’ve initiated that helped him or her stop.