People Who Can’t Act Fake At All Usually Say 8 Phrases In Casual Conversation
Los Muertos Crew from Pexels via Canva Growing up, I was one of the biggest people pleasers around. It was exhausting. Eventually, I got too burnt out to keep up that habit. I seemed to have used up all my effort on phony smiles, and now, I just don’t have the energy to fake it with anyone.
As I've grown into my authentic self, I've noticed that other people I know who can't act fake for the life of them, and I tend to use certain phrasing in conversations that
People who can’t act fake at all usually say 8 phrases in casual conversation
1. "I have to be honest"
Someone who can't act fake will usually make sure to tell you that they have to be honest with you so they can prepare you for the fact that you might not like what they have to say, but that they're saying it for honorable reasons. Because they feel a need to be authentic at all times, they will give their true opinion instead of just saying whatever their friends want to hear, but that doesn't mean they want to be hurtful.
They’re probably not trying to hurt your feelings. In fact, they’re probably being blatantly honest because they want to do whatever they can to be truly helpful to you. Honesty can sting, but fake reassurance doesn’t help anyone. To people like this, honesty isn’t disrespectful. It’s the exact opposite. They respect and care about you enough to want you to know their real opinions when they're talking to you.
2. "I don’t like you"
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Most people don’t want to blatantly tell you when they don't like you. Instead, they're more likely to remain polite while slowly distancing themselves. They might even pretend everything is fine to avoid any awkwardness.
Someone who can't act fake won’t be able to do this. They can’t pretend to like someone they don’t. That’s not to say they’ll start insulting that person or picking fights for no reason. They’ll simply be honest about their opinion towards someone they don’t want to be around. While this can be hurtful to hear, at least it means no one has to worry about where they stand with them. That's usually a lot healthier than spending years in a fake friendship.
3. "That’s just the truth"
Though genuine people may have blunt opinions, at least their friends know they can trust them to be truthful about what they think. A lot of people feel uncomfortable doing this because they don’t want to offend their friends, but usually that doesn’t really help the person that needs advice.
It doesn’t help the person giving it either. When we give advice, we usually take it to heart more than the advice other people tell us. Because people who act fake don’t like to hide their opinions, they’ve probably become accustomed to the benefit it has for them.
Also, by knowing this, they trust their friends to not just do what they tell them. They know their friend will do what’s best for them, and they just want to give them some ideas to help.
4. "I messed up"
People who can’t act fake like to get their drama out into the open instead of letting it fester. If they made a mistake, they’ll own it. They won’t try to avoid blame for the sake of their own temporary comfort.
Some people refuse to take accountability because they never think they did anything wrong, but others are well aware of their own poor behavior and just don’t want to see their faults exposed and face criticism that could hurt their fragile self-esteem.
Genuine people don’t feel a need to hide their wrongdoings in order to maintain their confidence. They are secure in themselves and understand that making mistakes is unavoidable in life. What matters is acknowledging what you did wrong and making things right when possible.
5. "I’m really hurt"
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Some people struggle to talk about their emotions because they worry that they’ll seem weak or needy if they cry in front of their friends. They may also worry about looking foolish or incompetent if they ask for help, so they pretend they're okay and hide their vulnerabilities instead.
People who can’t act fake choose to be open about their emotions. They prioritize getting the help they need over their ego and don't think twice about how it might make them look. They’re comfortable admitting they can’t do everything themselves and that they’re not perfectly happy all the time. This usually works out well for them, because in truth, most people actually want to be helpful to others when they can.
6. "I’m really proud of myself"
A lot of people feel embarrassed to tell their friends about their success, thinking it might sound like they're bragging. And unfortunately, even if they aren’t, it can often be perceived that way.
Many people hold themselves to an unspoken social rule that we're supposed to be humble, and talking about how great you're doing doesn’t always fit that mold. People who worry about coming off too full of themselves might hide a big promotion at work or act like it’s no big deal.
People who refuse to be fake also can’t act like they’re not proud of themselves when they really are. They aren’t overly obnoxious about it, but they take pride in their hard work and know they are worthy of enjoying it.
7. "That’s just who I am"
Most people want to be part of a group of some kind. It’s literally wired into our DNA. When someone doesn’t have an easy time fitting in anywhere, they might change how they act in the hopes of being accepted, choosing to do something more mainstream than their genuine interests.
You can’t really fake passion, though. Conforming to social expectations at the expense of your true nature rarely brings happiness, and a lot of people who change themselves to fit in just end up longing to do what they truly love. But if someone won't allow themselves to be fake, they don’t try to conform. They’ll let others know they like different stuff and are proud of their individuality. They aren’t going to pretend to be someone they're not when they know it would mean betraying their authentic selves.
8. "That’s not right"
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Many people have a hard time sticking up for a friend or colleague who's being bullied because they're afraid of getting bullied themselves in response. But people who aren’t fake don’t pretend nothing is wrong when someone hurts someone they care about.
People like this will tell the person who is being aggressive that what they're doing isn't right. They know that our friends are supposed to be there for us, especially at our lowest points, and they will do what it takes to support them even when it isn't easy.
Lily Bell is a college student studying English and Publications who covers relationships, mental health, and personal narratives surrounding the human experience.
