Mindful Hack #71

I’ve been thinking lately about the power of words. Think of the plays that bring us to our feet, poetry that moves us to tears, literature we can escape in, and articles that can inform (and sometimes enrage) us. Yet all too often, we string a bunch of words together, mindlessnessly, to express whatever happens to be going through our heads in any given moment. Speaking, without thinking, can cause misunderstanding, confusion and even pain.

Buddha suggested we ask ourselves three things before we speak: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? And if the answer is “no” to any of them, don’t say it. Imagine what it might be like to put that into practice, the impact that could have on our relationships and even the way we feel about ourselves (after all, the constant narrative in our minds rarely meet that criteria).

Words can create and they can destroy. Choose yours mindfully.