Language is a powerful tool
“We tend to look through language and not realize how much power language has.” - Deborah Tannen
Each of us is born with the ability to use language; for most of the population speaking is a natural part of living. Language is a skill that must be learned and cultivated.
Remember when your two year old (or a close friend’s 2 yr old) was putting together words to form small fragmented sentences? Chances are you used simple words, different voice tone & volume and perhaps a slower, exaggerated rhythm to your pace because you wanted them to understand and learn from you.
You may not have realized it at the time, but you were consciously, or unconsciously, speaking in a way that was modified to your “audience” - the 2 year old. As our children grew our conversations and language has changed as well. It is important to understand how to talk to our “audience”, so our communication will create a positive impact and motivating energy. Positive language can lead to significant changes in one’s life.
Simple changes to our day to day conversations can have a huge impact on our relationships. Paying attention to our word choices, tones, expressions, and cadence can help us improve our relationships, ourselves, and our attitudes. It is not just what we say but how we say it!
Something to think about:
Connect: Pick an example of a challenging conversation you had with a loved one or a friend. Think deeper how that conversation went. Was it good or was it stressful? Did you make progress?
Clarify: How do you get your point across now? How do you speak to your loved ones or friends? Are you listening to the other person before speaking? Is your tone soft or loud and direct? Did you get the outcome you desired? What could you have done differently?
Commit: to one thing you could have done differently in your challenging conversation. Implement that into your next challenging conversation. Commit to this change and focus on improving your communication to develop stronger relationships. Remember language is powerful.
