Sometimes Talk is Not Cheap

Happy Sunday! I am so looking forward to Spring I already started replanting and adding some new plants to my already filled home. I live in an apartment so space is limited for those that know about apartment living but I just feel so alive and happy around plants. I'll share some pictures soon.

Today I wanted to briefly bring you up to speed on my share about disappointment. I ended up requesting the Home Attendants removal but not before finding out some even more unsavory information and still the verbal diarrhea continued up until this past Friday when another family member reached out to me to express his view and opinions. Keep in mind no one else in my family plays any role in my grandmother's care. With that being said as I was being semi attacked and questioned for my actions as I breathed deeply and closed my eyes I thought about this...Talk is Cheap...or is it?

Remember the phrase "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?"

illustration by quotes gram.com

How as kids our parents would tell us to shrug off someone's ugly words or perhaps at some point we told that to our our children? Then hopefully we learned better and realized that words do hurt. Sometimes even more than a slap in the face, at least a slap is a sting for a moment but what is left behind from that what came with that slap is what lingers forever.

Talk is not Cheap when it leaves scars. 

illustration by pinterest.com

When in anger or out of spite you say things that are hurtful just because you are feeling hurt yourself. You feel that if you unleash your arsenal of words you will feel better, you will get the results you want, you will...Win. But you don't what you do instead is leave a trail of destruction that sometimes takes years to repair or perhaps can never be repaired at all.

Hey listen it happens we all get angry at some point but blind anger is dangerous. I always think of this even before I started to live more mindfully and practice Meditation and Yoga. Even in my youth I was aware and conscious of name calling you can't turn back from that. Then when I had lil mama I always asked myself "would I speak to her like that or would I want her spoken to like that by someone else?" The answer was and continues to be No. 

Most parents are always protective of their children regardless of the circumstances so my perspective is to always keep my child in mind when dealing in explosive situations and communications. Words can be a dangerous tool if used poorly. 

illustration by pinterest.com

I've been working really hard at my communication skills for quite some time now and I am grateful to have learned better. Lot's of reading, talking, podcasts, volunteering, listening and trail and error but I can't give up. I must try every day to do better than yesterday. I was watching our Republican candidates a few days ago and felt such shame in these men who want to lead our Country? These are what people consider Leaders? Even those exchanges if we don't pay attention are a distraction. They invest time in insults just not to tackle the more important issues. That's just what happens in verbal attacks. So much is being said emotions go all over the place, talk is not Cheap.

So what can we do to make our talks cost less?

-BREATHE

-STOP

-WALK AWAY

-BREATHE

-STOP

-THINK

-REVISIT at another TIME

Whatever issues arise will still be there later, give yourself some space to choose your words carefully. This idea is Priceless.

What are your thoughts, how do you handle conflict? Do you give into the urge to lash back or do you remain focused and come back to issues later? What do you teach your kids about their use of words to hurt others? What lessons have you yourself learned? I'd love to know share your thoughts.

Always stress free xo

Mari