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Hello valued friends, partners, and colleagues,
What Fills the Heart Shapes Our Words
I am currently reading a book called 40 Días de Viaje en Silencio, which translates to Forty Days of Journeying in Silence. It is teaching me that silence is about so much more than simply speaking less and listening more.
We are often reminded that we have two ears and only one mouth for a reason. Yet this journey goes much deeper. It invites us to quiet the noise around us long enough to hear what is happening within us.
One of the most profound lessons I have learned from John Maxwell is:
“People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.”
John C. Maxwell, Everyone Communicates, Few Connectâ
That truth has stayed with me because people do not only receive the words we speak. They also feel the emotions behind them.
They feel our frustration, even when we choose the right words. They sense our impatience, even when our voices remain calm. They recognize when we are speaking from insecurity, pride, fear, love, gratitude, or genuine concern.
Our words rarely come from nowhere. They often reveal the emotions, thoughts, and unresolved experiences we carry inside.
When the heart is filled with anger, our words can wound.
When it is filled with fear, our words can become defensive.
When it is filled with insecurity, we may criticize others.
When it is filled with pride, we may feel the need to prove ourselves.
Yet when our hearts are filled with gratitude, our words bring warmth. When we find inner peace, our words offer comfort. When we carry hope, our words encourage the people around us.
The real challenge is not simply learning to control what we say. It is understanding and healing the place within us from which our words are coming.
We often believe our hurtful words are caused by exhaustion, pressure, or the behavior of others. Yet difficult circumstances may simply reveal what has already been building within us.
Silence gives us the opportunity to pause, examine our hearts, and ask:
What am I allowing to grow inside me?
What emotions am I pouring onto the people I love?
Are my words creating peace or causing pain?
Who is experiencing the consequences of what I have not yet healed?
Our words shape the atmosphere around us.
A parent who replaces shouting with calm words can transform a home. A leader who replaces criticism with thoughtful guidance can strengthen an entire team. A person who learns to listen before responding can prevent conflict and create space for understanding.
Our words can create wounds or help heal them. They can intensify a disagreement or bring peace. They can discourage someone or remind them of their strength.
The choice begins long before we speak. It begins within us.
Today, before trying to change your words, take a moment to examine what is filling your heart and the attitude others may be feeling behind what you say.
When the heart heals, the mouth stops causing pain.
When the heart finds peace, our words become gentler.
When the heart is filled with gratitude, what flows from us begins to uplift others.
Today’s Intention
Today, I will pause before responding, listen before judging, and reflect before reacting.
I will choose words that bring clarity instead of confusion, encouragement instead of criticism, and peace instead of pain.
I will remember that my words carry power, but so does the attitude behind them. I will use both to heal, inspire, and leave the people around me feeling stronger than before.
Question for Reflection
What do I need to release or heal today so that both my words and my attitude can reflect the person I am becoming?
With love and gratitude,
Luisa
