How many times do our words and behaviour hurt others? A lack of expression and meaning and an inability to clarify what we mean when we don’t express ourselves clearly, may affect those we care about.
Irrespective of how well our meaning or another person's meaning is, what can go wrong is the way a message is received, rather than the way it is intended. Not everyone will perceive what we say in the way we may intend.
Our emotions and what we're thinking or feeling at the time may also be responsible, as well as what they may be thinking and feeling. Perhaps engage with your inner voice and ask yourself, is what you're about to say what you would want to receive?
If your answer is 'yes' then you're on the right track.
The phrase "sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me," isn't true.
Words do hurt sometimes if they're said maliciously. I know from experience. I try not to say things to hurt people.The thing is that when people say things to me to hurt, those words stay with me. I tend to play them over in my head.
I know I'm just increasing the hurt every time I do it. I don't have the guts to confront people that say hurtful things and I don't want to hurt them or get revenge.
Lisa I'm not sure I understand. If you confront those people that say hurtful things, they will no longer be allowed to hurt you.
From your response here, it seems that it's okay for others to hurt you, but not okay for you to hurt others back. Not sure I follow.
You owe it to yourself to take control so others are not allowed to do this to you.
Sound advice here Ilana.
It's sometimes hard to put ourselves in the place of the recipient, but I can definitely see that has much merit. I might even give it a go!
Cool! Thanks for posting.