I just observed a lady, as I have so many other ladies, who is trying to hide her age. Her hair is dyed a dull solid black. Her makeup is desperately trying to hide wrinkles, but failing miserably. And do strappy heels really ever look good on 75 year-old feet?

If you’re going bald, men, go bald. Rock the look. We can all spot a toupee or a combover from across a room, and it never looks good.

People should wear clothes that fit them and fit their shape. Obvious? Evidently not. Just go to the mall and people-watch for 5 minutes, and you’ll see what I mean.

I’ve seen plenty of older ladies look really classy with gray hair, clothes that match their maturity, and confidence that says “I’m older than you, and that’s just fine with me.” Bald men can look great. And I’ve seen plenty of people who were a little, or maybe a lot, overweight, or maybe just big in a few select places, carry off a look that is classy and confident.

I’ve started this discussion with something light, something we can all relate to, but really, the same principle goes for other, deeper, hidden things as well.

You see, the truth is a scary thing. It has the power to change things, which is probably why we’re so afraid of it. And with the changes, we fear we might lose control of the situation. We might not get what we want.

But is denial of the truth really the answer? If we cling to a falsehood, a fantasy, expecting things to get better, they probably won’t. They probably can’t. Our grasping for something unreal keeps us too busy to move on to a place of action, and ultimately, a place of peace and acceptance.

Credit card companies make fortunes off of people who deny the truth about their financial situations. They can’t, won’t, or just don’t, face the reality that they don’t have the money to buy whatever their little heart desires.

The same idea applies to family life. If your marriage is a mess, denying it is not going to make it better. If your child is having trouble, pretending won’t get them help.

So honesty is the best policy, whether that means changing how you approach your family, your money, or your appearance.

After all, life is easier without strappy heels anyway.