"Have you ever wondered why God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth? Perhaps we are to spend twice as much time listening than talking. A good pause would serve us well in the long run. Time and words are two things that, once gone, can never be recovered. We must take our time and weight our words before we release them."
I read this blurb in a book recently, and got full-body shivers. I have been known all my life (by various parties) for being mouthy. Precocious. Blunt. Outspoken. It's a behavior for which I have received both reprimands ("Jamie, you really should not have said that.") and compliments ("I know Jamie, she's the talkative redhead, right?"). My verbose, sarcastic nature is very much a part of my habits, my thoughts, and my worries. I always worry that I've said too much, said the wrong thing, not said enough, and the fret list goes on and on.
In the past weeks, I have come to the irritating-but-true conclusion that I do a lot of talking, but don't really say anything. Add to the mix a healthy dose of worry, and no matter how safe or discreet I may try to be, being a ladylike wallflower is just not in my personality DNA. Polite? Yes. Delicate and quiet? Umm, NO. Working in HR has certainly helped curb a lot of it, via several very uncomfortable mistakes that I remember all too vividly.
But enough self-flagellation. On with it. There are things to be said, and somebody must say them. I like to think of this as my calling. (sarcasm)
I read this blurb in a book recently, and got full-body shivers. I have been known all my life (by various parties) for being mouthy. Precocious. Blunt. Outspoken. It's a behavior for which I have received both reprimands ("Jamie, you really should not have said that.") and compliments ("I know Jamie, she's the talkative redhead, right?"). My verbose, sarcastic nature is very much a part of my habits, my thoughts, and my worries. I always worry that I've said too much, said the wrong thing, not said enough, and the fret list goes on and on.
In the past weeks, I have come to the irritating-but-true conclusion that I do a lot of talking, but don't really say anything. Add to the mix a healthy dose of worry, and no matter how safe or discreet I may try to be, being a ladylike wallflower is just not in my personality DNA. Polite? Yes. Delicate and quiet? Umm, NO. Working in HR has certainly helped curb a lot of it, via several very uncomfortable mistakes that I remember all too vividly.
But enough self-flagellation. On with it. There are things to be said, and somebody must say them. I like to think of this as my calling. (sarcasm)
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