Sometimes lies are all we have.
And that's ok. It takes a lot to keep going in life and to keep a smile on in this day and age is nearly impossible.
So little fib here, a tiny non-truth there... if it helps you through the day, use it.
As long as nobody is hurt and you're not in an extreme state of denial... lie away!
Redditor hidude100 wanted to discuss the fibs that keep getting us through the day. They asked:
"What's the most useful lie we tell ourselves?"
I tell myself I believe I can do it. Whatever it is. When in actuality if I listen to myself too long, I'll never do anything.
Do Right!
Kamala Harris Waiting GIF by Election 2020Giphy"I'm doing the right thing. Everyone else is doing the wrong thing." ~ echo6golf
Just Drive
"While in traffic, nobody except you know what the hell they are doing." ~ sjookvest
"With that being said, I think some (a lot?) of traffic could be reduced if people simply drove better. Not over breaking or taking so long to accelerate after breaking (causes accordion effect). Never blocking the box. Learning how to merge properly and then understanding that the safest speed to travel is close to the speed everyone else is going. Just generally paying attention. All of which I do, and nobody else does!" ~ AmigoDelDiabla
Karma
"They'll get theirs in the end." ~ jxj24
"I think this is it. This is the biggest one. Injustice is inevitable. I don’t logically believe people who have wronged me will be punished, but I have told myself many times “their time will come” which, nah, in a random, chaotic universe, some times it does, some times it never happens. Meanwhile horrible, HORRIBLE things happen to people who simply do not deserve it." ~ AXELROM
One Day
"It’ll all work out one day." ~ BlockThot
"I always say 'you'll get through this as well' and well time does manage to work out a lot of things. These kinds of lies are pretty essential to keep you going. I'd prolly be dead by now if my mind just went 'nope, nothing will work out now.'" ~ PM_ME_YOUR___ISSUES
Another Day
tomorrow GIFGiphy"I’ll do it/start tomorrow." ~ nap9283
"Hard work often pays off over time, but laziness 100% pays off right freaking now!" ~ twopacktuesday
Ah the promise of tomorrow. A whole new beginning, or just a tragic repeat. We'll have to see.
Anything
You Got This Woman GIF by Disney PrincessGiphy"‘You can do anything you set your mind to.’ Literally false, but determination can get you an awfully long way." ~ DrRob
COVID
"This is the last covid wave." ~ PassengerWest8873
"It’s frustrating. My wife and I are both fully vaxxed and caught it back right before Thanksgiving. Neither of us had boosters yet but our state hadn’t opened up boosters to everyone yet (they did while we had Covid). My sense of smell is still completely gone. Her Covid wasn’t near as bad as mine. I wore my mask, I got my shots, and it still got through to us. It’s mutated so much that I fear vaccines are never going to be more than an annual shot for this." ~ MyAltUsernameIsCool
Safety
"A gun is ALWAYS loaded. I just watched Wind River where the Hawkeye actor drills this point home to his son who is carrying the rifle down the stairs with the barrel pointed in all directions." ~ hidude100
"A lot of people think Americans are pretty irresponsible with guns - sure, some are, but when you live around guns a lot (e.g. in the country), this is a phrase that pretty much everyone knows." ~ bdbr
These Low Effort Jobs Have Surprisingly High Salaries | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Have you ever worked one of those jobs that paid you to kinda sit there? If you have, you know the joy that comes with watching the entirety of Breaking Bad ...We Understand
"It’s interesting how a lot of the answers are similar, we are all very much the same." ~ Key-Knee-7153
"Right. Apparently the main one is that we tell ourselves everything will be okay which I'm guessing helps us keep going. Makes sense even though I don't know if I would have guessed that would be the winner." ~ hidude100
Death Becomes ME
"Ignoring our own mortality (we'll die sooner then we think 🤔 or at least feel)." ~ Pseudonym669669
"Idk, I’ve been thinking a lot about that, and confronting my own mortality this past year. I feel like it’s been helpful, as I’m reallizing what matters and what doesn’t, what I care about and what I don’t, and how little time I have to experience the things I want." ~ user deleted
Pre-ordained...
"That we have free will. I can’t explain it as well as YouTube videos on the subject can. Basically from what I remember let’s say you want to pick up your toothbrush and brush your teeth, before you realize you are reaching for and picking up your toothbrush the motion has already been started by your brain." ~ secretcomet
I AM!
"USEFUL? Gotta be the belief that we are intelligent, well reasoned individuals who are either aware of (or have no) bias. Lets you instantly discredit anything you disagree with, because if it WAS correct, you would already be believing it." ~ DonQuixoteDesciple
the path...
"We tend to tell ourselves that we figure what is life all about but in reality we don't. Knowingness of the life path we take doesn't mean we are set to bound for the course we have but little did we know that there many pitstops through out the destination and it's up to you how will you face that dilemma." ~ HyperscionUltra
Stick around. Watch...
"Death is bad. From what I've heard, it's pretty peaceful. And once it's over it's over. Nothing to worry about once you're dead. Of course by telling ourselves death is bad, we stay alive. By convincing ourselves death is bad, then when life seems pretty bad we still (usually) don't die. Life is a good thing, and that's honest. But death isn't bad either. And life can be hard."
"Since that lie tips the scales in favor of living when life sucks, you stay alive. Therefore it is the most useful lie. IMPORTANT ADDITION: I am not advocating for death, self inflicted or otherwise. I mean it when I say life is good. Even when life sucks, it will usually eventually get better. Stick around. Watch. Find at least one reason to keep living. Believe the lie if you need to." ~ Mentally_Ill_Goblin
breakthrough...
"Everything will be okay.'"
"No it wont. It will spiral down, breakthrough the fence of self-confidence and fall into the pit of despair before crashing into the barrier or existential dread. The only reason we say this is to calm ourselves even when the odds are not in our favor." ~ Umbraldisappointment
Take the pictures.
"'There will still be time.' Don't put it off. Say the important things. Take the pictures. Listen to the people you love and cherish even the dull moments." ~ NoDisplay1842
it's just us...
"What we do frequently matters to no one but us. But sometimes it does, and you just never know. So it's likely better to live as everything you did was impactful, even if you somehow know it isn't." ~ tristero200
Poisons...
"That spice is poison. Your tongue thinks it’s a harmful like pain and causes this burning sensation. It’s useful in that it triggers those methods to try and calm them down, like more saliva, watering eyes, snot. All that. Granted, it never really works that well but it’s still useful." ~ Disastrous-Trainer-5
