The Power of Words

We enjoy the amazing freedom to say what we please in this country. We can voice our thoughts and opinions without much fear of repercussion. And, because of social media, we have so many platforms where we can put forth our thoughts and opinions.

However, just because we can say something does not mean that we should. We hold a lot of power with our words. We have the power to both build people up and tear people down.

Words have the power to end relationships and careers, start wars, and destroy families. But we do not always feel the weight of this when we are speaking. We are usually trying to feel heard, or win an argument. But when we value being heard and being right more than we value others, we can become closed-minded and lose the ability to empathize with others.

We have to realize the weight of our words. If we could focus on using our words to build bridges rather than burn them, it could dramatically change the way we communicate as well as our relationships.

And when we hurt others with our words, we need to take ownership for our words. Sometimes we are quick to blame others for getting offended, rather than taking responsibility for our words. And sometimes we try to justify our words with how we felt in the heat of the moment. But in order to maintain the health of our relationships, we must take responsibility, exercise caution, and utilize kindness when we speak. Let’s be mindful of how we speak to one another.

Elizabeth Kraich, LAPC