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A tough conversation is usually a means of sharing with a person something they may need to hear but don’t necessarily want to hear.

Difficult conversations with a friend, family member, mentor, coworker, or another respected individual, might feel terrible in the moment, but there are tremendous benefits from an uncomfortable, honest dialogue.

It is a great means of helping a person grow—through exposure to brutal honesty.

Here are five ways difficult conversations can be helpful:

1. A moment of clarity.

We all actively practice the art of self-deception in varying degrees. Self-deception is a natural part of self-preservation. Unfortunately, self-deception can lead us astray to the point we can harm ourselves or others around us. A difficult conversation can often bring a moment of clarity to a person indulging in self-deception.

2. Measure of love.

A difficult conversation where a person gives a loved one brutal, but much-needed truth, might not seem like an act of love at first, but that is often what it is. Sometimes, the people who love us the most can muster the necessary courage needed to confront us about the truth.

3. Resolution.

Often, a difficult conversation is a cathartic means to resolve a short or long-term conflict brewing between two people. While the initial conversation might be challenging, it is likely to usher in a sense of peace between both parties, ultimately leaving them feeling better.

4. Improved focus.

We can all lose focus from time to time, even from what matters most in life. One of the best ways to inform a person that they have gone off course is to confront them and check in. The conversation will likely be unpleasant. However, it can be the guiding light to ensuring that a person regains their focus on what matters most.

5. Letting go.

Sometimes the best thing to do in life is also the hardest, which is letting go of mental, social, financial, or other forms of baggage. Baggage can weigh a person down to the point of ruining their life. For example, maybe a person needs to let go of a severely abusive relationship, but they cannot do so. Sometimes a difficult conversation with that person can help them to see what they urgently need to do.

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