Are words really powerful?

I am sure we all know the popular saying "sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never harm me." I've heard people debate that before and there have been many conclusions made base on this one statement. I asked for topic suggestions and you guys delivered! So here's my views on one of the topics/questions that one of you asked. Are words powerful?

In my opinion, words are powerful when you fuel them, believe them, take them upon yourself and feed them to your being. To me, it's that simple.

Don't get me wrong, hurtful words when spoken stings! Imagine someone trying to defame your character by calling you by some nasty names because you don't take them on.What do you do? Do you believe it and accept it? I'm sure you don't! Sometimes it hits different when it's coming from someone you either look up to or love. I remember once my dad called me foolish because he was angry with something that I did. At the time that word was said, it caused me a lot of pain, but what i realised was that if i went on believing that I was foolish then I was going to act like I was foolish and speak like I was foolish because that's what I was feeding my spirit.

I've had many experiences where I've been called names and people have said mean things that were meant to do more harm than good but if I gave them the satisfaction of seeing me miserable and hurt by what they said, it wouldn't have made things better. There are times where I have to remind myself to shake it off and get it together. "Like hey this is not you and you know that!"

So it's basically like this, If you speak good things in your life and over yourself and believe good things then good things will happen. If you speak bad things over your life and believe bad things then bad things will happen and the same goes for when other people do it. You can't control what people say to you or about you but you can control what you believe and what feed your mind and spirit.

My advice to the people who believe it is ok to go around calling people names and speaking evil of them is that, God gave us a mouth that opens and closes and ears that do not so you can't pick and choose what you hear but you can choose what you speak. Always choose the better. Our tongue is the most powerful tool that we have, it encourages and also destroys. It does both good and evil so choose the better.

To the people on the receiving end you have more power than you think. Even if you hear the negative words, filter it! Let it pass from one ear to the next! It will sting but if is one thing I know about stings, they disappear after a while. It's not easy to be a dasheen leaf and let things slide off but nothing beats a trial.

People sometimes speak out of anger and regret afterwards and there are times people say what they mean, it may be hard to discern but keep reminding yourself that you are not what people say of you! You are much more! You are strong! You matter!

Accept the good! Let go of the bad! Words are strong but don't give them too much power!

Love,

SJ