There are certain words that stay inside your head and repeat over and over.
These are words that you have heard someone else say, and they won’t go away.
These words play over and over in your mind, they might sting, or they might make you doubt yourself.
You will argue with them over and over in your head. You won’t realize why but it’s because you are resisting them.
It might be that someone thought you were taking advantage of a situation, or they may have commented on your appearance, maybe they thought you could be doing better in life or as a parent.
There will be one or two lines that stick with you.
This happens to all of us, but we don’t always realize the power that our words can have.
The right words in the right moment can bring change.
You can’t possibly know which words you’ve said that will get in someone’s head, but if you want to see a change for the better, you have to speak up.
It’s not helpful to not say anything for fear of hurting another’s feelings. That person may need the feedback or need to grapple with the words in order to do the right thing.
How do you know which words will stick?
You don’t. So speak kindly, speak with intention and only to the issue, don’t attack character, and don’t over explain yourself.
The less words you use to make your point, the larger impact they will have.
Then wait to see what happens.
What the other person does with your words is out of your control.