Somtimes, even most of the time, people choose the words they say without thinking too much. Often, the troubles they have with others are related to the words they choose to express themselves. Words have power, the power to hurt or to heal, the power to make an enemy or a friend...so how can we choose our words wisely when speaking to others?

Think Before You Speak!

We have all heard this phrase from our mothers when we were growing up...they were right on this one! Before you blurt out the first thing that comes into your head, STOP! Think about it and run it over in your mind before you speak it. This process alone only takes a few seconds and can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.  I often catch myself this way before I am about to say something dumb.  Sometimes when we don't "think before we speak" we end up saying soemthing offensive that can hurt someone else when actually we did not intend to be offensive at all.  So take your time when talking, it requires extra work but its worth it in the end!

Watch the Person You are Talking to...

People are different. Everyone responds to the same things in a variety of ways...a great way to make sure a conversation doesn't go bad is to watch their body language and facial expressions. These will give you cues as to whether what you are saying is offensive or funny to them, making them angry or impressing them. If you can see you are upsetting someone with what you are saying, it gives you a clue on how to speak to that person, use it and change the way you speak to them.

Make the other Person Feel Good

Do not always bring the conversation back to yourself! Choose words that acknowledge what the other person has said and add to the conversation. When you think about all the people you have talked to, the ones that you really remember are those who took an interest in what you had to say. Ask questions, make comments, make eye contact and be genuine. A person is not going to like listening to you if you dont listen to them, conversation goes two ways.

Be Positive

Always throw positive language into conversations. Choosing positive words attracts people. When you speak negative, negative things and people will come into your life. Positive speaking brings positive things and people. Bring people up, not down. This is probably one of the most important things to remember when choosing your words. You reap what you sow, remember to sow all the best things you can.

Be wonderful, be yourself, have fun, and choose your words carefully!