Be honest when you feel like hiding.
Be honest about your feelings and failures.
Admit when you’re struggling.
Telling uncomfortable truths
Honesty is the best policy only when the truth is about yourself. When you want to help someone see something, gently guide them to the truth. Ask questions. And in the process you might discover that you’re not seeing the whole picture.
Teach them to swim instead of pushing them into the deep end. Otherwise, are you helping them or venting to them about them?
Shooting straight is not a virtue. “Sorry I’m a little blunt” is deliberate violence - you do recognize that your words will hurt, yet you decide to throw the punch anyway. You think that they need the punch as a wakeup call, and that the warning excuses the violence.
Wrong.
Soften the blow. Speak facts, not judgements.
Honest != harsh. Criticism not delivered artfully is not constructive. Learn from dad - as you bring awareness to an issue, coat it in humour. Tell a story. They’ll remember it better.
Don’t waste words on the problem. Focus 90% of your energy/time on the solution.