268 - Do you struggle to stay silent?

Stephen Covey says, “We judge other people by their actions but we judge ourselves by our intentions.”

Have you stopped to consider that you may not judge yourself by the same standards you judge others?

We sometimes place expectations on others that we wouldn't place on ourselves.

We live in a reactive world right now where faceless people spew hatred back and forth like it's a sport.

We have forgotten to pause.

Remember, silence is golden.

Before reacting to things people say or do, pause for a moment, especially on social media where it is so easy to respond quickly.

Consider, is what you're about to say going to be said with integrity?

Will the words that come out of your mouth inspire or infuriate?

It is so easy to give a quick sarcastic, judgmental remark. But we can do better than that.

In his book, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz says that the first agreement is "Be impeccable with your speech".

Every religion and deep thought master has the same message. Don't say anything until you know that it will be said in complete integrity.

Sometimes, an even more powerful response is to walk away. You don't have to engage in a flame-throwing match.

Do you struggle to stay silent when you disagree with someone?