Does it bother you when people say that they are “fine with anything” when they’re really not? Picture trying to plan a dinner with your friend. You ask them what type of food they are in the mood for and they say they don’t care. You decide upon Italian, figuring it’s a cuisine with a broad range of options, but spend the whole meal while watching your friend eat bits and pieces of food that is clearly unappetizing to her. When you ask her what’s wrong with her plate, she admits that she was really craving Chinese, but she didn’t want to be difficult.

It has become extremely common in society for people to do this beyond something as simple as a dinner option. In school, people will do this by saying they are fine to work on a project at 10 p.m., and then becoming angered by the fact that they are up so late. This is also done in work when people agree to handle a task that they know they are clueless about and become overwhelmed by their decision. They do this with college by settling for a university they know they will not be happy at. The reason behind this is that people believe concealing their true feelings and pretending to be flexible is easier than dealing with admitting their true opinions.

This trend of pretending to be fine, while seemingly innocent, is becoming a major issue. In an effort to be agreeable and easy-going, people are forcing themselves to feel comfortable when they are uncomfortable, thus creating undesirable situations. Open and real honesty is key to making peoples’ relationships healthier and stronger. Trust is the foundation of a relationship, and when people can not trust that they are being honest with each other, they are unable to communicate in the best way possible. Having an opinion is not “difficult” and “annoying” but rather a sign of maturity that a person is able to express how they truly feel. Continuously lying because you think you’re making a situation easier will only entrap you in a repetitive cycle of trying to be someone you’re not. Stop pretending you’re okay and start speaking your mind.