Words are used to communicate, elaborate and express ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions. They can be constructive or hurtful, and is usually the cause of most conflicts in relationships.
Alot of times we get into arguments with our partner due to miscommunication. Sometimes we use the wrong words and there is misunderstanding between two parties; “I thought you meant —- when you said —-“, “what do you mean —?”, “I cant believe you think I’m —-.” Sometimes we can accidentally use the wrong word to express our thoughts, and we don’t know how the other person interprets what we say. Although words have a general definition, people acknowledge certain words with unique significance, and the interpretation may be influenced by their past experiences, culture and environment.
Words can be used to communicate messages directly from one individual to the other. They are also used as a play on words, sending messages with other meaning than its direct translation. I particularly would like to develop this skill as I find it smart and amusing; it can be used for funny conversations which develop rapport with peers.
When the wrong words are used they can be very hurtful to the receiver. Certain words like “promise”, “never”, “trust” and “innocence” often have deeper meaning to people because they are linked and dependent on relationships. For example, making and breaking promises, doing something you said you would never do, losing someone’s trust, and feigning innocence. Be careful when using these words with people as they may have more implication than what meets the eye!
A colleague shares that when conversing about topics that are sensitive to the heart, it is wise to talk face to face and hear the tonality, feeling and body language of each other. Similarly, in the case of a misunderstanding from written words, the brokenness is more easily mended with personal face-to-face interaction.
I admire people who can easily choose the right words to convey their message. Often, I find it difficult to find the right word to express the right thought. I try to be careful to not exaggerate, yet convey the emotion behind the thought, while using a sincere and proper tone. Proper depends on the context of the message, setting, the sender’s relationship with the receiver, and background knowledge already established.
I am the kind of writer that writes in times of stress. As I express my thoughts in words and sentences, the very feeling being described releases from me and onto the writing medium. I find similarities in my will to write and with music composition. Negative and tangled emotions are similarly released after a composed melody. Everytime I play the tune again, I feel a cleanse of the negative emotions from my body.
I hope you find that very talent of yours that releases negative energy from your body. If you haven’t yet, take the time to find this avenue. This is a natural way of releasing stress from our body, keeping us sane and improving our well-being.
Written Jan. 9, 2012
