To teach self-control, temperance and to instill proper communication skills, we parents admonish our petulant toddlers to “use their words.” Most of us learned that if we reward incessant whining by accommodating their demands – we reinforce negative personality traits which won’t serve them well as they grow into adulthood.
“Words have a magical power. They can either bring the greatest happiness or the deepest despair.” Sigmund Freud
Recently, most Americans have turned a deaf ear to the mantra “words matter” simply because the opposite seems to be true. No doubt, we all value our free speech and hold our first amendment rights in high esteem. But when that freedom allows for public personalities to fill our airwaves with soundbites of hate, hyperbole and dangerous conspiratorial propaganda, our very liberty itself becomes threatened and we the people are prone to become imprisoned by our own vulnerability to fear; imagined or real.
“The power of words is immense. A well-chosen word has often sufficed to stop a flying army, to change defeat into victory and to save and empire.” Emile de Girardin
Words are powerful tools. We can use them to empower and uplift our fellow man or to diminish and demean anyone who stands between us and our opinions. A father who constantly tells his young son that he is a loser and a sissy simply because he prefers to cook with his mom instead of throw a ball in the yard with his dad, instills feelings of inadequacy in his child. If unchecked, those feelings often grow into resentment. The negative cycle from there can be a life fueled by hatred of his father, self-loathing and sometimes sadly even thoughts of suicide. This is why words so deeply matter.
“Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose your words well.” Robin Sharma
Bluster and arrogant words untethered to reality can create an alternate universe where opinions are esteemed on the same plane as facts. Aggressive fighting words spoken even in jest can be the catalyst in the unmoored, unstable mind to commit unthinkable acts of violence. The delusional listener may hear a call to arms to defeat the evil forces lurking in pizza parlor basements whereas those with more discernment will dismiss the message as crazy and irresponsible. This is why words spoken by powerful leaders are so crucial and must be well thought out before flippantly leaping off the tongue.
“Throughout human history, our greatest leaders and thinkers have used the power of words to transform our emotions, to enlist us in their causes, and to shape the course of destiny. Words cannot only create emotions, they create actions. And from our actions flow the results of our lives.” Tony Robbins
Perhaps if we all chose to think of our words as seeds being planted in each other’s soul garden, we would be more selective with our choices. Are these words going to sow weeds of despair, division and darkness or hope, unity and light? Great question we could all ask ourselves before we open the floodgates of our thoughts and emotions. My words matter. Your words matter. During this time of intense national debate and deep emotional public turmoil, may we all pause for just a moment and indulge in some self-introspection.
“Words – so innocent and powerless as they are as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.” Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
