Words are “one” means of communication.

What if there were NO words?  All there was were actions…  As shown beautifully in this you tube clip – demonstrating the power of non-verbal communication as well as advocating for people who are deaf.

Chances are you’ve been called something that hurt you, maybe even scared you.  Chances are you have used some pretty hurtful words at yourself.

Just recently in a hurtful message I received through facebook, I was called a “fucking bitch”.  Thankfully at the Peaceful Warrior Courage Training with Dan Millman, part of our training was an exercise to respond to a verbal attack.  My partner, Ron, in the exercise – screaming and yelling at me “You are a fucking bitch” and our training was to step aside and take away the power of the attack.

By stepping aside I was able to not give these words as much power, and to lessen the power of the person saying it.  Hence the training a “peaceful heart, warrior spirit.”  Retaliating does nothing but provoke the situation further.

With words perception is everything…

If I asked you to put a mental image to the word dog – chances are each of you would come up with a different image: one may see a Labrador, another may see a jack russell.

If I asked you to put a mental image to the word help – chances are each of you would come up with a different image: one may be a friend giving you a hug, another may see a crisis line, another may see a hospital or ambulance.

“The word “good” has many meanings.  For example, if a man were to shoot his grandmother at a range of five hundred yards, I should call him a good shot, but not necessarily a good man.”  ~G.K. Chesterton~

The word depression – in some provokes a feeling or image of financial and economic loss.  For some it means darkness and desperation, and for others they see weakness of character.

Sometimes words do need to be taken seriously, in the instance of bullying and threats.  I also received a message that was a threat (my emergency response bomb threat training from my airline days came into play) – these words were taken seriously on my part and the appropriate action has been taken.  The power I now give it – is to release, let it go and move on.  I am also grateful as there were lessons I learned in this – additional steps for the privacy of my family and security settings on my social media sites.

How do you respond in instances like this?

With elegance, love and forgiveness. I personally choose to look at each person through the eyes of their inner child – the eight year old within.  And in most cases of people who use hurtful words, there is a cry for help, a little child in pain and suffering.  It does not condone their words, nor their actions – yet it allows me to let go, forgive and move on.  This is the power I hold, that only I can.

This video by spiritual leader OSHO, really brings a different light to the word FUCK.. for me I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard at anything as I have this video.  It lessens the power of the word – that is so often used in harsh and demeaning ways.

Words are just that – WORDS…

Next time you or someone else uses words to hurt you – remember – they are just words, and only YOU have control on how you react:

From a place of love or a place of fear!