Have you ever been in a relationship—work or personal—where you experience that sudden internal oh wow? That moment when your realization is undeniable. You know the person failed to tell you something, and then they claim it wasn’t a lie because they simply didn’t include that information.
But a lie by omission is still a lie.
Leaving out important information—whatever the reason—or claiming it was done so they wouldn’t “have to deal with your reaction” is manipulation, with a cherry on top of gaslighting and sprinkles of control.
In the ice cream cone of life, discovering someone has lied to you ranks very high on the list of betrayals. But when it’s followed by the explanation that it wasn’t actually a lie—just withholding—the effect can be maddening. Trust cracks open. The doubt loop begins spinning.
What else was withheld?
What else was done or known but never shared?
Such a breach of trust, followed by the flimsiest of excuses, creates a wedge that is nearly impossible to fill.
Sometimes the realization is simple:
A lie is a lie.
This Sparkle Up Blog is part of the…
Fear Waves: Gentle Tips to Steady Your Nervous System Series
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