We’ve all been there.
That moment when youspeak too quickly without thinking first.
The words that spill out of your mouth cause you instant regret.
If you had just held your tongue for a moment, you could have prevented the cringe-worthy situation from occurring.
You wouldn’t have to experience the repercussions of offending, wounding, or embarrassing someone else.
Maybe you thought you were being clever or funny with your remark.
Maybe you were angry and in the moment felt justified with your remarks. Maybe you didn’t know how the people around you would interpret your words.
Words have incredible power for good or ill. If spoken without consideration, you can do serious damage to yourself and others.
Do you pause to think before you speak to consider your words?
Often, we just say what is on our minds as soon as the thought enters our heads.
But taking just a few seconds before you speak to assess your thoughts, your mood, and your audience can go a long way in improving your relationships — as well as your own personal growth.
As Austrian psychologist Viktor Frankl says, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
It is not only the actual words we speak that count, but also you must consider your tone of voice, inflection, and even your body language.
Together all of these send a clear message to your listener about your intended meaning, even if the words themselves appear benign.
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