I'm not as emotionally strong as you, to be able to hold that hard line. I usually just tell them that I can see a lot of potential in them and if they decide to pursue it seriously to not let anything stop them from practicing... which is a dodge.
I'm not really proud of it, but that's what I do.

I don't feel like I am very good at giving or taking criticism! But I would definitely want a friend to tell me if I had blood on my butt or something like that.

Sanssouci wrote:I don't feel like I am very good at giving or taking criticism! But I would definitely want a friend to tell me if I had blood on my butt or something like that.

Yeah.... I would want to know, too. I need to step up and be less mealy-mouthed.

I'm pretty intense with my honesty. I try not to be an asshole about it.

Though now I've gotten to the point where I'm like; do you want me to tell you my honest opinion or lie?

I'm working on my honesty, especially in the situations that you pointed out in the first post. I still have a habit of sugarcoating things and sometimes due to that, people don't understand what I really mean. I do think it's important to avoid white lies when it comes to people's passions and stuff, they might not always take it well (I know I wouldn't, because I'm sensitive to perceived rejection) but also it would be a lot better if it was said by someone you love and/or trust, because strangers don't always have the capacity to be kind or patient about your shortcomings. That being said, I think this kind of honesty is, in fact, an act of kindness. You want to be kind and tell the truth as it is, not be nice and try to hide things.

I have immense respect for people that are honest about stuff like telling me how my singing sounds.
People seem to like my singing though, but I sing quietly. When I sing with an amplifier Ive been told I sing like Loreena McKennit, which is a huge compliment.
but I think when I sing other peoples songs I can sing off key.
Anyway, I love singing, and even if I was bad at it, Id still do it, when Im alone. Actually, if someone told me I was bad at singing, maybe I would sing just to make people laugh.

I wont say honesty is always the best policy, and I do agree with my sister that everyone lies, but I dont think that that makes it all right to lie about anything and everything just because.