Are You Careful or Careless?

Are You Careful or Careless?
By Eva Gregory, CPCC

The average adult typically utters 40,000 words each day, according to a study performed by Professor Robin Dunbar of Liverpool University. A substantial amount, but have you actually considered how valuable words are? What about how powerful they are? Words have the power to heal, lighten, comfort, and encourage, on the flip side they can wither, hurt, anger and discourage. What a gamut!

What about the role that words play in life. Words are a continuation of our thoughts, only verbalized. Do you always think carefully before you speak? Do you speak with good intentions? While it’s quite normal to have negative thoughts from time to time, (and we’ve discussed how to diminish the occurrence of these thoughts) just because we think it, does not mean that it bears repeating. Thinking something and giving it a voice just solidifies the thought. So if it’s negative, we’ve provided the nourishment for it to take root and sprout – just like a weed.

Do you want to attract negativity or lack? I’ll wager the answer is no. If so, don’t speak of it, about it, or repeat it. Easier said than done? Not really, but one must first become conscious of it when it is occurring. In “The One Minute Millionaire” there is company whose owner decided to have his employees accept responsibility for what they said by paying a fine for each negative thing that was uttered. He found it quite effective. Can you imagine having to pay for each instance of negativity that is said? Talk about accountability!

Mrs. Morgan, a fifth grade teacher, was heartsick as she listened to the words that were being spoken by her students. They were very negative, often hurtful, callous words that had no business being spoken, least of all to other impressionable, fragile children. Having been on the receiving end of hurtful words during her school days, she knew personally how damaging the long-term effects could be. After a great deal of thought she formulated a plan. She discussed it with the school principal, and after she was given the okay, she sat down to compose a letter to the parents.

The following Monday, she assembled her class and explained her distress over the words that were spoken each day. She told them that the principal and their parents were in agreement with her, and that they wanted the behavior to cease. The students each had 200 minutes of “free” time each week that was used for recess and “fun” activities. She explained that she was given permission to charge them 5 minutes for each instance of “careless speak” that she heard. Like most children they did not take her seriously until about mid-week when the most serious offenders were removed from the classroom because they had no more free time available. By Thursday afternoon she had less than a quarter of her class for free time, and by Friday she had just one student remaining. The children that were removed were put to work in other classrooms, or given additional lessons. The following week Mrs. Morgan saw a substantial improvement in behavior, and after doing this for three months the “careless speak” behavior was almost non-existent. The program was such a success that it was implemented grade by grade until the entire school participated.

Mrs. Morgan committed herself to making a difference. Are you ready to make a commitment? Make the commitment to yourself. The results will be phenomenal. You can begin to attract more positive things in life and improve your relationships. People who share your newfound control for voicing positive things will be attracted to you, and those who already know you will marvel at the new you. Your relationships will gather strength, and new ones will abound.

Let the 40,000 words that you utter each day mean something. Remember to choose your words with care, speak positive words with conviction, and let attraction work its very powerful magic.