05 Mar Think Before You Speak

Have you ever been guilty of saying something out loud and suddenly regretting it and wishing you never said it? Almost everyone has been in such a situation before. Words have power, and they should be handled carefully since we can never take back what we say.

We need to learn the important habit of thinking before we speak, especially when it comes to using social media. Take a minute to think about what you want to post on Facebook or tweet on Twitter before you do it. It’s very easy to just vent out our emotions on social media, or reply harshly to a post that offends us.

We should, however, remember that as soon as we post something on social media, the entire world becomes our audience. There is the freedom of speech, but we need to be careful of what we say, especially when exchanging words on social media about a controversial issue. Whatever you say can come back one day to haunt you.

Many people have posted on social media without thinking, and have immediately regretted their actions. When you see something on social media that gets you annoyed, don’t rush to reply. Pause and take a minute to think about how you want to respond, and how that response could affect other people. What if your family sees your message? What will your employer think of you if he/she sees it? Will it get you a promotion or will it get you fired?

If you want to be a successful person, then you always need to think first before speaking out loud. This is one of the attitudes of people with a positive mindset. If you want to have a more positive attitude, then you need to practise this. Always remember that every action you take has an effect, whether positive or negative.

There will always be situations that get us annoyed and stressed out, but it is better to let these situations pass without responding to them angrily in public. However, thinking before speaking does not mean that you don’t have the chance to rant and express your opinions. You can rant and scream in your pillow at home where no one will hear you, or you can vent out to your spouse. This is much better than ranting out in the open for others to hear.

Of course, there are some situations where it is recommended for you to speak up. If you have a powerful reputation, speaking up concerning certain issues can help. This applies to speaking up to raise money for a social cause or raise awareness of a specific issue.  

Always remember that people will judge your personality and intelligence based on what you say. Therefore, learn to be selective in the words you speak, and think twice about your actions when responding to something online. Be slow to speak, but if your words will help to improve a situation, then going ahead to speak may be the right thing to do.