Life is trouble
Hello, RH-ers. Tony Cuseo here.
Recently, I rewatched Brad Blanton’s TedTalk on YouTube. I found there was one section that I really liked. Here’s a quote:
“Life is trouble. Period. If you tell a lie, you’ll get in trouble. If you tell the truth, you’ll get in trouble. So lying gets you in trouble and telling the truth gets you in trouble. And the question arises: Which is the best kind of trouble?
And the best kind of trouble is the trouble that’s caused whenever you speak the truth. Even if it upsets somebody or hurts their feelings or offends them. I recommend that you offend people, and I recommend that you hurt people’s feelings. And, I recommend that you stick with them until they get over it.”
For a while, I was reading a lot of books about communication and intimacy, and eventually stumbled upon a book called Radical Honesty. The other books I read on these subjects seemed to imply that if you used whatever methodology the author was proposing just right, you would never have conflict ever again in any of your relationships and everything would be just peachy.
Ha! Yeah right.
I sometimes describe Radical Honesty as a methodology for when shit hits the fan. Maybe it’s just me, but my life is often going awry, particularly when other people are around. Signals get crossed, I get pissed off or hurt, and fall in and out of love a hundred times a day because as Brad says, life is trouble.
(Read my blog "A New Kind of Empowerment" for more on this topic.)
I know that sounds like the start of a suicide note, but what I’m proposing to you is that causing trouble is actually rather fun.
When I tell someone I’m angry at them, or hurt, or attracted to them, or secretly in love with them, it’s scary. And chances are it’s going to get me in some trouble. It’s also likely going to be a damn good time.
When I tell the truth, I feel alive and free. Even when I get my feelings hurt, or the other person gets mad, I tend to feel this surge of energy in my body afterwards, and it’s wildly pleasurable — almost like having an orgasm or being on drugs.
If you’re jonesing for some truth and need to get your fix, or want to ruffle some feathers and cause a bit of trouble, join Mak and me for our Weekend Workshop in New York City this November 17-19, and there are spots still available:
We’ll tell the truth, get our feelings hurt, and stick with each other until we fall in love again.
Hope to see you there.
Love,
Tony
Tony Cuseo is a Radical Honesty Trainer Candidate who co-leads workshops and practice groups. He also holds certifications in Embodied Counseling and Sexological Bodywork. Tony is passionate about creating art, music, and love.
🇨🇷🦥🌴 Back in Costa Rica this December 🌴🐒🇨🇷
If you're looking to take the deep-dive into Radical Honesty, our next 8-Day Intensive Workshop will be in the breathtaking tropical setting of Costa Rica at the Cascada Elysiana Ecolodge this December 8-16!
The 8-Day Intensive is an immersive, full-time, communal experience designed to give you the opportunity to learn and practice Radical Honesty within a supportive environment. Learn more about what we do in the 8-Day Intensive here.
We’ll live together, learn the core distinctions of Radical Honesty, experiment with telling the truth and sharing what we notice about ourselves, about our bodies, and the thoughts going through our minds. We will do exercises in telling our life stories, grounding ourselves to experience the present moment, and speaking aloud our fears and dreams for the future.
Through this process of direct communication, guided by two experienced facilitators, you’ll have an opportunity to learn new, honest and creative ways of interacting with others as well as make new friends and experience connection.
Join Mak and Sarah in this beautiful location for this immersive and transformational journey. And, we're giving a $500 discount on the next 4 spots, so sign up now to reserve your place at this reduced fee!
👉 Grab your discounted spot for the Costa Rica 8-Day in December here 👈
Upcoming Workshops Co-led by Tony: