THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

P O W E R O F W O R D S

ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED THIS PAST WEEK IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PHRASE "THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK". WHAT IT ALL ENDS UP BOILING DOWN TO IS THAT ONCE THE WORDS ARE SPOKEN YOU CAN'T TAKE THEM BACK. AFTER YOU SAY SOMETHING TO SOMEONE THE EFFECT AND POWER OF YOUR WORDS EFFECT THEM IMMEDIATELY.


I HAVE FELL VICTIM TO THE BAD HABIT OF SPEAKING TOO QUICKLY AND NOT CAREFULLY PHRASING MY WORDS OR NOT THINKING ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING BEFORE I LET IT COME OUT. IT CAN BE SUCH A HORRIBLE THING TO DO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NOT ONLY HAVE I BEEN HURT BY OTHERS THIS WAY BUT I HAVE ALSO HURT OTHERS THIS WAY. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY ARE PEOPLE I LOVE AND CARE ABOUT.

IT IS ALSO SO IMPORTANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE TONE OF YOUR VOICE AND THE ATTITUDE IN YOUR VOICE WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING. SO MANY TIMES ARGUMENTS AND HURT FEELINGS AND BAD SITUATIONS CAN BE AVOIDED SIMPLY BY TAKING A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT THE WAY YOU WORD THINGS OR THE EXACT WORDS YOU USE OR THE TONE OF YOUR VOICE ETC.......



IT IS ACTUALLY A LOT HARDER TO DO THAN IT SOUNDS BECAUSE OUR VERY FIRST REACTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DON'T AGREE WITH WHAT IS SAID TO US, IS TO GET DEFENSIVE OR RUDE AND JUST POP OFF WITH THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND WHICH MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ENDS UP BEING SOMETHING SARCASTIC, RUDE, CONDESCENDING, ETC, ETC.......

IF THERE IS ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY QUICKNESS TO SPEAK OR BY MY VOICING OF MY OPINION WHEN I SHOULDN'T OR IT IS NOT WANTED IS THAT IT IS WORTH TAKING THE EXTRA FEW MINUTES OR SO TO CHOOSE THE WORDS YOU SPEAK VERY VERY WISELY BECAUSE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT ARE NOT WORTH RISKING.

FOOLISH WORDS CAN RUIN MANY GOOD THINGS AND ALL IT TAKES TO AVOID THIS IS A MINUTE OF CONTEMPLATION BEFORE YOU VOICE YOUR THOUGHTS. PEOPLE THAT LOVE AND CARE ABOUT YOU MAY UNDERSTAND AND BE PATIENT ABOUT IT BUT THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT AND WILL GET SICK AND TIRED OF IT AND WILL NOT PUT UP WITH IT. IT IS DEFINITELY NOT WORTH IT AND I CAN SAY I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

TAKE EXTRA THOUGHT AND CARE IN WHAT YOU SAY TO OTHERS BECAUSE YOU MAY NEVER QUITE REALIZE THE WAY YOUR WORDS MAY TOO BE HURTING THEM AND THAT IS NOT FAIR TO DO TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU.