Words have power. Words have meaning. How often do you stop to think about the impact that your words can have on other people? How often do you reflect on how words (whether yours or someone else’s) affect you? In this moment, perhaps more than any other that we’ve experienced in our lives, words are necessary to connect, to feel, to influence. Touch cannot readily serve as the sole communicator for us pandemic-responsible folks. We have to project our words to land at least 6ft away to communicate our thoughts, our hearts, intentions, and needs. So I call on you to think about your words and their impact. I encourage you to adopt the following phrases to connect with others.
- Good morning - over time, I think the phrase “good morning” had lost its impact as we mindlessly said it to each other as we passed by in the halls of our workplace. But now, as I reflect on my intentions to be intentional, it is indeed a good morning to be alive, to be able to connect with another, and to share space with someone. To be able to exude positivity in our shared space and communicate with you that your presence matters to me in the simplest of ways helps us to connect.
-Be blessed- as a spiritual person, I often hear this phrase as a replacement for “goodbye,” as a means to end an interaction. But again, what if you adopted intentional positivity and communicated to another “I’m praying for you” and “I wish the best for you” with only having to say two simple words? Today, despite all the loss and grief, there’s still so much to be thankful for. So I encourage you to wish blessings on another.
-I hear/see you - racism, sexism, discrimination, amongst many other -isms is real and experienced. Recall a time when you’ve felt unseen or unheard despite your greatest efforts to call out. Recall how frustrating, upsetting, and perhaps even sad that experience made you feel. When we feel heard and seen, we feel validated and humanized. So this year, this month, this day, I encourage you to validate someone and empower them with your words to speak on their experience and needs. Let them know that they are seen and heard.
-You’re appreciated - most of us wear so many different hats and play so many different roles. I, myself, am a mother, daughter, and professional in the medical field - all require different pieces of me to empathize, relate, and in many cases care for others. When I feel appreciated, my burden feels a little lighter and my actions feel meaningful. When we tell others that they’re appreciated, it communicates that their efforts are recognized. It communicates that we are thankful for what they do and who they are.
As you keep your distance in space, get closer to others with your words. Be impactful. Be intentional. Be meaningful. Let’s others know that you wish them well, see and hear them, and appreciate them in the simplest of ways. Saying such things to others does not take much effort on your part but it can have a profound effect on someone else’s day.