The strongest muscles in the body make up the masseter better known as the jaw. But even though our mouths can clamp down on something with 55 pounds of force, it is what comes out of them that is what can really hurt people.
We use our words to communicate anger, love, and joy. Our ability to communicate through words decides on how successful we are as members of society. But sometimes, we forget just how impactful our words can be. We all have had a moment of panic when we think to ourselves, “Crap, I should NOT have said that,” and we immediately try to retract whatever horrifying comment we just made. It is this careless behavior that can ruin relationships, job interviews, and can hurt people in ways we never imagined.
I have always been a blabbermouth. I have the itching desire to say every thought that pops into my head, and it has bitten me in the butt more times than I can count. As young professionals and college students, we have the opportunity to impact, maybe not the whole world, but certainly the one around us. By thinking about the way our words effect others, we can build stronger relationships, create more career opportunities, and start a domino effect of positivity.
This generation of 20-somethings has the opportunity to either impact the world or destroy it through social media. In a matter of seconds, we can send a Tweet, Facebook post, or update our blog and let the world know exactly how we’re feeling, what we’re doing, or what our opinion is. Too often do we abuse social media to tear down one another, to criticize the leaders of our community, or to express the negativity occurring in our lives. It is important that our words on the Internet are just as intentional as they are in face-to-face conversation. We’ve been doing social media for a while now, but sometimes we forget that what we post or send —even on iMessage — lasts forever. If Jennifer Lawrence can get hacked, so can you.
The month of February is almost over, but I challenge you to apply the themes of love to your everyday life. You don’t have to have a boyfriend or girlfriend to show people love. It can be something as simple as holding the door open for someone on your way into a building or genuinely smiling at the person with the locker next to yours at the gym. You never know whom you will meet or the impact you may have on their day. Use your words for good and radiate positivity with everything you say. “Speak only if improves upon the silence,” as Mahatma Gandhi said. Consciously think about what you say and how you are impacting those around you. Maybe you can change their world.
