As much as we don't like to admit, we all lie all the time. Studies have even found that most people lie in everyday conversation to appear likable and competent — research has found that 60 percent of people lied at least once during a 10-minute conversation. Most of these are little white lies that are quite harmless. In fact, a lot of them are necessary to keep relationships happy and polite. If we all said the truth all the time, there would be a lot more arguing going on. But there are also some lies that everyone tells at least once in their lives, if not more than that.
At a certain point, these lies can feel so normal that it's easy to forget the phrase, "honesty is the best policy." They're told so often, actually, that it's hard to believe these statements even if they are true. It becomes like a real-life version of the "boy who cried wolf."
Of course, being truthful is an essential part of any close relationship. When it comes to the really big stuff, you should always choose honesty. As someone who grew up making excuses whenever I didn't want to go somewhere, I can tell you how hard it is to follow up on those little "excuses" (which were actually lies, even if I didn't want to admit that). It's so much easier to just be honest sometimes, even if it feels tough in the moment.
That said, let's be real: we've all told a little lie once or twice. Here are a few things everyone is dishonest about at least once:
1Skills: Proficient In Microsoft Excel
Let's be honest with ourselves here: most of us who actually are proficient in Microsoft Excel only got there from teaching ourselves Microsoft Excel at our job after pretending we already knew what we were doing. This is a skill found on almost every resume that is rarely actually true. This is so commonly known that one has to wonder why we even bother after a while.
2"I'm not drunk."
If you ever drink, you've definitely told this lie. You know how it goes: you've had a few drinks, you're way more tipsy than you wanted to be, things are seeming a little foggy, and someone asks you, "Are you okay?" For some reason, you probably have no idea why, you expressly say, "Yes! I'm not drunk!" Everyone knows you are, you know you are, but for some reason, you just won't admit it.
3"Yeah, your boyfriend/girlfriend is great!"
At some point in your life, a friend of yours has (or will) date someone you don't like. Even if there's a legitimate reason for you not liking them, you'll be extremely hesitant at expressing that. So, when they ask for your opinion, you'll inevitably say, "Yeah, they're great! So great!"
4"It wasn't that expensive."
There will be at least one time where you buy something very expensive even if it was completely unnecessary, someone will ask about the price, and you'll lie about it. Hey, they don't need to know the truth anyway!
5"Oops, I didn't see your text!"
How often do you get a text, forget to answer — or purposely don't answer — then say, "OMG, I didn't even get your text! So strange!" No. You saw it. You both know you saw it.
6"I'm so over them. Never again!"
We all have complicated relationships with our exes, and we never really want to admit it. So, even if we know deep down we're not over them, we'll say that we are. Sadly, this is also sometimes a lie to ourselves as much as it is to someone else.
7"No, we never hooked up."
You have probably talked to, hung out with, or hooked up with someone — and you'll never want to admit it to anyone, or certain people. This is a lie we all tell at least once.
8"I'm so happy for you!"
Jealousy is totally normal, and there is always a time where someone close to you gets something great, and you feel totally down about it. You're expected to be happy for them, and to express that happiness to them, even if you feel the exact opposite. So you'll shriek, "I'm so happy for you!!" even as you feel like screaming.
9"Let's definitely make plans to get together soon!"
What do you do whenever you bump into someone you used to be friends with but haven't seen in a long time? You say things like, "Oh, it's so great to see you. Let's definitely make plans to get together soon!" You'll both say it, even if you know it will never happen. Ever.
10"No, I've never looked at their social media."
Social media stalking is basically a part of life. It's better to just admit it, but we rarely do. Think about your crush or someone you don't speak to anymore. If someone asks if you look at their pages, you're going to say something like, "Oh, I didn't see that," even if you were two years deep on their Instagram page just the night before.
11"It's not about the money."
How often do you get in an argument and get furious about something, and it's about money, for whatever reason? Of course, you can't admit it's about money, so you lie! It makes you sound better. It happens.
12"It's going to be OK."
It seems bleak, but it's true: we all lie about this sometimes. If someone is going through something hard, we soothe them by saying, "It's going to be OK," even though we know it won't be for a long time.
