Your Words Have Power

Deb Dobbs is a Consultant and Life Coach for Interpersonal Communication Skills and Public Speaking. Reach her at DobbsCommunication.com

You are probably familiar with the concept that words carry meaning. At an early age you probably learned a nursery rhyme reciting, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”. The reality is words are powerful. They carry more than just a message. They carry emotion. Think of them as bubbles filled with emotion. When emotion penetrates the atmosphere, other factors such as perception, understanding, attitudes and behaviors acclimate. You could go so far as to say words are a predictor of one’s state of mind. For my purposes, words are a bell weather. They act as a signpost to signal how people feel about themselves, regardless of the situation at-hand.

Too often, people react to words without thinking. They allow emotion to overtake their reasoning. As a result, emotion (not reasoning) prevails. The impact can be lasting. Unfortunately, instances of verbal cruelty are not rare. You may witness or endure them daily. They can encroach seemingly safe spaces and can threaten anyone at any age. Nonetheless, living a quality life requires you to think purposefully about words and how you use them.

A first step to better word usage is to value your words for healing and renewal. When you sift through ways to make a change, forgiveness is at the center. The process of forgiveness is thought of as an external action toward another person. More powerfully, the process requires you to look introspectively at your own actions, attitudes – your words. Think of self-forgiveness as an essential exercise for prosperous living. Your words are self-edifying. Start with yourself and build out to your circles of influence. Your words can bring restoration to relationships. Become an active participant for healing in your home, work group and community. Enact phases of forgiveness for yourself and watch your outcomes shift.

Deb Dobbs

I am a Consultant and Life Coach for Interpersonal Communication and Public Speaking. Reach me at DobbsCommunication.com

Read More on Community
Volume 10, Issue 11, Posted 4:14 PM, 11.11.2019