The Power of Words We Use With Others

Words are powerful. We use our words against ourselves, and we use our words against others. Today we will address the power of words we use with others.

We are creative beings. Even if you don't feel like you're an artist, or a creator, all of us are creative beings, we have the power to create, and we have the power to destroy.

Our most powerful tool in creating and destroying is our tongue.

You can build people up or tear them down. It starts with the words that you use, and the things that you say. The power of those words is often not recognized or acknowledged. 

I want to talk about the way we use our words against other people, and the power that can have in the moment. I struggled in my early adulthood, because I was a very sarcastic young man and saw sarcasm as a way to deal with bullying, a way to deal with the environment. I used sarcasm in what I thought was ways to build relationships. Really, I was breaking people down and making comments that have a grain of truth, but yet were still hurtful in the way a person receives them. The idea that those words were taught, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,’ is simply not true. Because when you hear the words over and over again, they're the power that they have in adding to your limiting beliefs.

Working with entrepreneurs, I hear it all the time, that teacher said I wasn't smart enough or my parents said, ‘I shouldn't try that hard,’ or ‘I shouldn't go for that.’ Those words are so powerful, and the stuff we say each day can be impactful and hurtful to people. Sarcasm is one of those. In our culture today there are so many people using words that elicit hate and stir up other people, eliciting a negative reaction. I think anytime you're using words that elicit a negative reaction from others, those are painful. 

We need to be really careful about the words that we use, when you're with your family and coworkers.

Sometimes we use words that belittle, to empower ourselves by pushing somebody else down and that is so dangerous. Then of course words that hurt people emotionally. I think words that we use intentionally to damage somebody, maybe it's to win an argument, maybe it's just to make ourselves feel better. We need to recognize the impact that our words have on others. 

I've named my company Add Value 2 Life. And my goal is that my words are encouraging and uplifting, that I'm adding value to other people through the words that I use, through the attitude that I speak those words. 

I'm practicing every day. I'm learning, even how I talk to my dog, impacts my dog but also impacts me and if I get irritated and frustrated and use language that's not necessarily empowering or uplifting, or encouraging. Especially now when you know there's two of us, two of us working from home and at least one child or grandchild here around the house. The words we use are really important and the way our attitude comes across because everybody in the house picks up that vibration, even if they're not hearing the words. That vibration that we send out through our words through our language can be so powerful. 

I want to encourage you to make an intentional effort to find positive words to use with your neighbors, to use with your family, to use with your friends, be an encouragement, be an uplifter. Challenge yourself. Call yourself out if you catch yourself using sarcasm or using a negative tone or negative words towards your family and friends. Use those as an opportunity to turn to the positive. 

I want to encourage you that if you have comments or questions, want to have a conversation about your frustrations and your ability to control your tongue. We'd love to continue the conversation. I encourage you to be a positive force for good in this world because we need more and more people encouraging other people lifting them up and building them up.