Use Your Words Wisely

“Each word or thought of yours can be like a pearl that you drop into the secret place of another heart, and in some hour of need, the recipient finds the treasure and realized for the first time its value.”

I first heard this quote at the Team True Beauty event during a wonderful speech from Shantel VanSanten. However it didn‘t really stick with me until reading and rereading it a few times while searching for inspiration for my drawing for the TTB January newsletter. It’s amazing how simple these words are, and yet how much power they hold. The words that you say are important and powerful, whether you intend them to be or not. I used to do an activity with my campers. I would have them squeeze a glob of toothpaste onto their finger and then try to put it back in the tube until they became frustrated that the toothpaste wouldn’t go back to where it came from. The point is, once you say something, you can’t unsay it. It cannot be unheard. So your words are very important and they can be used to tear others down or to build them up. It is your responsibility to honor the voice that you have been given and to use it for positive change. Use it to be honest. To be passionate. To be inspiring, kind, and helpful. Use your voice in a way that makes others aware of their own voice. Use it to share your story and to be honest. To make connections and to share in life’s triumphs and struggles. Because using your voice to make a change and inspire others, showing what’s in your heart- that is the definition of beautiful.