That new haircut looks great on you.
Good job for making your bed today.
Thanks for cleaning off the table after dinner.
Why do you never listen to what I say?!
Get your lazy self off the couch and do something productive.
How come you can never do anything right?
Words have such an impact on our lives. We speak thousands of words a day and sometimes we don’t even realize how much they affect others.
Or how they affect our own witness or our duty as a role model.
Think about your conversations today? Did your attitudes affect your words? Like if you’re in a bad mood at work, did you bring that attitude home and take it out on your family?
Words, both positive and negative can affect relationships, environments and our own health.
When we are positive and look for the good, we feel better all over – both mentally and physically.
When we are negative or just waiting and anticipating the bad, we get down, depressed, hopeless.
I read an experiment I am going to try today and I hope you will do the same. Pay attention to how many times you say something negative and write it down on paper or in your phone. At the end of the day review your findings. Now tomorrow try extra hard to be positive and do the same exercise. Which day made your feel better? Since you were paying attention each day, did you try harder to be positive?
In Ephesians 4:29 Paul says: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
In today’s chaotic world, we tend to already have our negative comments formulated on our tongues when we wake up. The world doesn’t need more spewing negativity. The world needs words that build others up; words that are positive and complimentary.
Let’s take Paul’s words to heart and try to build others up today instead of tearing them down.
Are you gonna join me? Positive Polly or Negative Ned?
