The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Honest" by the artist "Tessa Violet"

In the song "Honest," Tessa Violet explores the themes of self-discovery and the search for authenticity. The lyrical heroine reflects on the extent to which her actions are driven by a desire to be loved and accepted by others, rather than her own desires and motivation.

The phrase "The truth is, my power ain't honest" suggests that the heroine draws her energy and confidence from external sources rather than from within. She admits to "working off of wanting to be wanted" and doubts her own inner strength.

At night, when illusions fade, the heroine is confronted with feelings of dissatisfaction and incompleteness. The recurring phrase "Guess I'm not doing very good at this" conveys her confusion and self-doubt.

She questions when she will finally feel like herself ("How long 'til I feel like me?") and where to go from here ("Where do I go?"). The heroine realizes that running away from herself is futile ("Trying to hide from what's inside, you can run but you can't hide").

She confesses to using flattery as a "weapon" and "poison," reflecting her attempts to manipulate others to achieve her goals.

In the final verses, the heroine expresses feelings of hopelessness and loneliness. She feels trapped in a repeating cycle ("And every road I walk keeps leading me right back"). The heroine realizes that she is creating her own problems by clinging to illusions and expecting that by this point in her life, everything should be perfect ("And if I'm going crazy, maybe it's 'cause I keep telling myself a story that by now, I should have it all figured out").

In the song's conclusion, the heroine tries to reassure herself by repeating the mantra "It's okay, you're okay," which can be interpreted as an attempt to accept herself and her imperfections.