Pinocchio is Awful at Relationships

Cosmo magazine says that in order to make a relationship work, you need to constantly try new things in the bedroom. Seventeen magazine says you need to send flirty text messages and go on double dates. Maxim says you need to look like a Playboy bunny. But, really, it's much simpler than that. The key to any relationship is honesty. And if honesty is missing, as is true of any missing key, you will forever be locked in place, no doors will be opened for the growth and betterment of your love life.


Dishonesty in a relationship will, first and foremost, drive you away from your partner. Having secrets and lying to your partner about them will, consciously or subconsciously, make you feel guilty, which will result in you pushing away and creating distance from the other person. Moreover, when your partner finds out you've been lying, or vice versa, at best, there will be a small argument. At worst, there will be a break-up.

A healthy and successful relationship is based on honesty. Think about it. The point of being in a relationship with someone is to get to know the person, see how you bond and interact with the person, see the chemistry between the two of you, and, eventually, make a decision about whether or not you can see yourself spending the rest of your life with this person. If lies muddle and distort your view of the other person, how will you be able to accurately view the relationship? You can't.

Think back to relationships you've been in that haven't worked out. I bet most, if not all, of the problems were a result of dishonesty. Partners who are honest with each other create a stronger, more intimate, and more realistic relationship. Remember that next time you're thinking about lying to your boyfriend/girlfriend for any reason!

R. Stauffer
(@rileystauffer)