The childhood saying “sticks and stones may break my bones; but words can never hurt me” is naiveite and wishful thinking all wrapped into one. Just ask the victims of cyber and other forms of bullying, verbal abuse and character assassination. All of us have one memory where this saying fell short; because the words hurt; they stung and they may have left scars.
Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well. – Robin Sharma
Words are powerful and if used with intention can shape your life and create your reality. Words can lift up and tear down. The saying “there is power of life and death in tongue” is not void of meaning and value! If you think about the creation story as told by Christianity; God spoke it into being and it was so. And as the masterpiece of creation; fashioned in the image of God; we too hold power in our words. You can speak life and death into a relationship, an opportunity, your very own existence! Just reflect on a time you woke up and said “today is gonna be a great day“; didn’t it turn out to be so? I can imagine the opposite is also true; you woke and said “today is gonna be rough” and that is exactly how the day went. You barely made it through!
Being intentional with your words is so important if you have any regard for your life and the results you achieve. It is easy to practice careless speech and we sabotage ourselves so often without even realizing it. To be intentional is to have a level of self awareness and consciousness; where you pay attention to your thoughts and your words. It requires honest reflection and an inventory of your vocabulary. Do you engage in negative self-talk? Are you highly critical of yourself? Examine why that is so; and take steps to replace the negative self-talk with affirming speech. There is no use in lying; write honest affirmations about yourself. Find the things you like about yourself and start there. If you can’t find things you like; then you need to spend time with yourself to understand why that is so. Question your feelings and explore the source of these opinions you have of yourself. If this is too much to take on alone; then please seek help from a professional.
How deliberate and intentional are you with the words you speak? Recognize the power you have! You can make a difference in someone’s life if you speak a kind word; or devastate them by being unkind. Words and the intention behind them can have lasting effects; so be mindful of what you say to yourself; about yourself; to others and about others. Spread love and kindness as often as you can; for you never know who is fighting a hard battle. “The power of words is immense. A well-chosen word has often sufficed to stop a flying army, to change defeat into victory and to save an empire.” – Emilie de Girardin.
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The Perspective Matters 