Watch Your Language, Use Your Words (wisely): Psychological Impact.

Talk about Defensive, Offensive: As in language -- words, phrases, statements reflecting where we are on this continuum of psychological dynamics (see Sept. 23rd, 25th posts). Words and phrases that may be well thought out or more spontaneous, as in speaking extemporaneously (or having to write impromptu) -- both the latter sans notes or a teleprompter. Words that have different impact in different situations with different people with different backgrounds, reflecting their culture, experiences (including those of a more traumatic nature) and, of course, language. Whether casual, formal, incidental or calculated, it matters...what words, in what sequence, combination, and timing, and context. Starting with...

Early and Often: As in early in life as well as each day, when we are greeted with (or are the one delivering) "Good morning" (or something to that effect). Some of us are morning people where such a greeting is an opportunity, an invitation for a full on commentary on something that happened the day before, what we already overheard on the radio, or something yet to come, which may in turn be greeted with "Oh, that's nice, dear...Oh,..." or silence "I didn't really want a response, this is way TMI", the respondent simply thinks to themselves, not wanting to discourage such friendly banter or sunny early morning demeanor from sonny. Others, of course, would rather be left alone in the morning (two out of my three children, especially as teens), where such an innocent greeting may meet with either surly words or at least tone. Sometimes they do it just to put us off, keep us at a distance. To which I have learned many disarming words, phrases, and otherwise unexpected responses that work well in my office, at least. We continue to hear words that encourage us to use correct words -- words that not only fit the circumstances that won't hurt the other, or to which the company we are keeping won't find offensive..."Watch your language!" being the most obvious, which came into play just yesterday when a professional golfer, highly polished in sportsmanship on the course, apparently forgot his other course in etiquette, in the heat of the moment and emotion on international TV: "I don't give a s_ _ _...Oh, sorry I swore back there...", hoping for a mulligan (likely to become a meme on and off the course as a result). Then there's the oft heard "If you can't say something nice..." (already covered this in a recent post but can't hear these words enough)...Finally, we've all heard "Children (of all ages), use your words!" -- whether coming in after recess from the playground, after getting into some verbal/physical altercation, or preparing to go out to any playground or high risk interaction where word prep/rehearsal is called for...These, among others you might have as reminders...

Word Play in an Age of Reason: As in "The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related that is is difficult to class them separately...one step above the sublime makes the ridiculous, and one step above the ridiculous makes the sublime again..." (1794, Thomas Paine from "The Age of Reason"). That is, words matter and we can pivot back and forth from one end of the continuum of human experience to the other, with just one or two words, a turn of the phrase, and they can also have...

Lasting Effect, History in the making: As in the last thing or lasting or....how would you like to be judged for the rest of your life for the worst thing you said? In this age of social/digit media where on the one hand so many seem to willing to let loose with ill-considered words and statements, being able to hide behind layers of technology, while on the other there is a critical mass of critics trolling the internet more than ready to hold others accountable, to censure them altogether even for something said or written decades before. Something we said  or put in a casual text, that has now, due to text to voice technology been heard around the water cooler, if not the world. Make good choices!