Integrity With Your Words
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say.
Be honest.Have you ever errantly pressed send on an email or text that you instantly wished you could’ve dove straight into cyberspace to retrieve? Aaaaaah!Have you ever pocket-dialed someone from your phone, or been the recipient of one, possibly overhearing something that wasn’t intended for your ears? Awkward.And what about those day-to-day conversations that somehow wander off in a negative direction, fueled by some so-called innocent banter, otherwise known as ‘gossip?’ You know the ones — they seem innocuous enough, but ultimately drag the energy of the room right down along with it. Gossip is a slippery slope, a black hole of negativity that can suck you right in.Just when you may feel like you have reached your saturation point with all the seemingly en Vogue cleansing talk, indulge me. We are on the precipice of spring after all, and that gets us pretty excited around here! I was recently reminded that there is always room in this department for some tidying up.
Here’s the reality: All that we do, say, think, feel, and write — not only reflects what we are experiencing, it feeds where we are going. As a matter of fact, it outlines the roadmap.
Where are you headed?The litmus test is simple. When we feel stuck or stymied or flat in any aspect of our lives (finances, creativity, career, relationships, self-love, etc.), it typically circles back to a low-vibe, repeated pattern.Bottom line: In the words of Don Miguel Ruiz, from his book The Four Agreements — start with Agreement #1: Be impeccable with your word. Sounds doable, right? They don’t call them oldies but goodies for no reason. But ponder truly implementing this notion into your routine — conducting a clearing in word, thought and deed.Act as if your phone is on speaker for all to hear. Act as if everyone is privy to your conversations. Act as if there is an all-access pass to your email account. Elevate your own consciousness by elevating the words you put forth. If you don’t want everyone to hear it, perhaps you shouldn’t be saying it. And further to this – it’s not all about negativity. We toss around pleasantries in our communications each day that are not aligned with our true intentions. They come in the form of phrases like, “I look forward to seeing you,” “Let’s try to get together soon,” “We should meet for coffee.” Say what you mean, mean what you say. And if it doesn’t fully represent how you feel, don’t put it out there. Delete.
I’m not trying to over-simply things here, but as the metaphor goes, we are what we eat. We are what we put forth. So, what energy do you want to put forth?
Look – clearly we don’t have to like everyone. We don’t have to interact with everyone, but we don’t have to talk about them either. Pointing out the obvious doesn’t change anything. And certainly we are entitled to our privacy and opinions. However, this isn’t about anyone else. This is about you and your level of sparkle and effervescence. This actually boils down to self-love and allowing yourself to feel what you feel, while consciously interacting with the world. Usually, when we indulge in negativity of any kind, a part of our internal alarms have already begun blaring. What’s going on within me, that has allowed negativity to consume me, my conversations, my outlook? Is it others or is it me?Words bear far more power than we acknowledge. I’ve hurt people with mine and been hurt by those of others. And even the ones unheard hurt us all. The bottom line – despite what they say about what’s done is done, what’s done is never really done. When we say hurtful things, we can attempt to clean them up, and in a best-case scenario, apologize and be accountable. However, sometimes the pieces can’t always be put back into place, or the damage reversed. So how do we get out in front of this?We trust ourselves. We check in. We honor our intuition. And we remember this isn’t a popularity contest. When we speak negatively of others, we speak negatively of ourselves. We cannot separate ourselves within this experience. When the urge to indulge our negativity rears up, it represents something unsettled within.
Could we collectively agree to bring a new level of awareness to our words, our thoughts, our intentions, and to each other on the onset of spring – the season of rebirth?
This kind of cleansing is more like purification...and it is contagious. When you are lifted, those around you will be too.This is about reclaiming your joyous self. When something feels off…go within. Let’s ditch the off-track words and the attendant regrets, and connect to the joie de vivre that’s busting a move and ready to be unleashed. Your personal truth-telling is about living a life aligned with your highest self. Be Impeccable with your word. Your best self is sending you a thank you card!And a special thanks and photo credit to our co-creator, photographer, Peechaya Burroughs. See more of her work on her Instagram page.