Hush Your Mouth

Saying what you mean and meaning what you say are two completely different things. I know a lot of people, like me, who say what they mean all the time. They give honest opinions, offer honest advice and provide an honest perspective. They are the kind of people who are often accused of being harsh or brash and they are sometimes asked not to speak their minds as often as they do.

Meaning what you say, however, has more to do with making a conscious effort to only speak something that you truly believe or feel in your heart. It's so easy to get trapped into saying something just because it seems like the right thing to say, like, "oh what a cute baby!" or "yes, officer, I promise to slow down." And when you want to foster positivity with a loved one, it's just easier to cast the honesty policy aside and say what they want to hear like "oh your new haircut is great!" or "no, your butt doesn't look big." And too often the only way to get what you want is to say what you need to say and not what you really want to say like, "of course, Mr. Smith, I don't mind working the weekends" or... "I love you."

Falling into the trap of saying what might seem right in the moment leads you down a path that might be difficult to depart from later or that might even prove painful in the long run. A moment of satisfaction or the postponement of an uncomfortable conversation is not a good enough reason to deceive the people around you into thinking that you believe it or you feel it or you just plain mean what you say.

So the next time you are presented with an opportunity to mean what you say, either do it... or hush your mouth!

(If you need advice on what you should say instead, comment below or send me an email! I have an answer for everything!)