Stephen Covey, renowned author of the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is quoted as saying, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Truer words were never spoken. In fact, it is this type of thinking that a lot of folks are not doing enough nowadays.
Take social media for example. While we may have seen a dramatic upswing in online discussions, we are also beginning to see deterioration in human dialog and empathy. One minute we are reading how a girl just ate a peanut butter sandwich and the next how she was sleeping with a guy for kicks and giggles. How’s that for meaningful conversation?
Now, it is perfectly fine if you choose to broadcast your life online, but remember there are always consequences to your actions and yes, even your words. How you present yourselves to the external world does have its ramifications. No, you do not have to actively choose to live for anyone else, nor must you appease the crowds around you — but it is the company that you attract that may not be in your best interest; nor in the best interest of those that you may be inadvertently or even directly harming with your “messaging” skills; rather, lack thereof.
Covey stated something even more important: “While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” You see, even in brief conversation, “messaging” or “texting” — you may be dropping tidbits of personal (sometimes too personal) information about your lives, lifestyles and the lives of others. In doing so, you condemn both yourselves and sometimes others to a smudged reputation. It is not okay to haphazardly toss personal information about your intimate life because when you do, you are ultimately becoming the cog of the rumor mill. Your ill thought actions can negatively and harmfully impact and damage another human being or group of people. The worst part is that when you do so, you often do not realize the repercussions until the havoc has ensued.
Are you willing to be responsible for your words and your actions? What are you doing today to be the best that you can be? If you participate in malice and personal intrusion, you are becoming the problem yourself.
Think before you speak or act. It may mean the difference between a random act of kindness and a random act of cruelty.
Remember this too: anyone that you persecute today may one day have the last laugh on you.
Until we speak again, I am
Joan Marie, your intuition girl
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What are you really messaging?
By Joan Marie Whelan
About the Author: Joan Marie is the extraordinary lifestyle expert for everyday living. She travels throughout the United States sharing her gifts and her intuitive gifts with solo-preneurs, professionals, small business owners, and large companies. She is the author of: “Self- Discovery: The Nine Principles to Reveal Your Sacred Gifts” which is available through Amazon or our web site. For more information about Joan Marie and her upcoming, exclusive events, please go to: http://www.joanmariewhelan.com and click on Lifestyle Makeover Programs.