In the words of Lao Tzu “When pure sincerity forms within,

it is outwardly realized in other people’s hearts” This particular virtue manifests itself as

honesty, simplicity, and authenticity. It basically states to stay true to who you

really are, and not to allow outside forces to sway you. Lao Tzu suggests that the only way to

live harmoniously with the Universe is to tell the truth which can be anything but pleasant.

In our modern world, we are often so caught up in the daily grind, that we tend to easily disconnect

from our true selves. It is very easy to get emotionally deprived in this fast paced society

with a lifestyle that leaves very little time for making truly deep emotional bonds. In order

to fill this gap, we tend to go around pleasing people while losing ourselves in that process.

This is the exact situation in which some of Lao Tzu’s wisdom can truly help us grow and heal.

Being true to yourself means making choices that reflect a respect and affection for your

nature. We often make choices that do not honor our nature, which Is the real you. In Taoism,

these are called dishonest choices. It’s easy to go with what others think or want

as opposed to what you feel you should be doing. However, as soon as you make a dishonest choice,

you start to feel an inner discomfort and before long, you are worried, anxious and resentful. This

is because caring too much about what other people think of you goes directly against

the flow. By doing that we are trying to bargain with the sacred universe by forcefully and perhaps

subconsciously trying to manipulate others into liking us, so we can get our emotional needs met.

The only right way to go about things is by being sincerely able to walk the walk and talk the talk,

meaning being able to live out what you believe in with your speech and your actions. Being sincere

and telling the truth might not get you many friends, but it will get you the real ones,

and only real friends can satisfy your emotional needs for belonging and intimacy.

Lao Tsu also thought of sincerity as the most important attributes of leadership. He thinks

that if the leader of the people is sincere and truthful, it will reflect in all of the

community. He thinks that if the people disobey their leaders and rebel against them, it is purely

because their leadership is not sincere enough. A good leader preserves the ultimate reality,

embraces the Tao and thus promotes sincerity, and so the whole world follows him joyfully.

The inspiring leader doesn’t tyrannically impose orders, but he rather clarifies

the instructions on how to act to reach a common goal that serves the greater good.

The goal of Taoism is to be true to yourself. By accepting the truth about ourselves and others,

we not only find peace in this life, but we can help others along their paths as well.