If you can think of something good to say

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Growing up children are usually taught that if they do not have something good to say, say nothing.
Being able to guard what you say,
to never gossip,
never vent,
never discourage....
What power there would be in that kind of self-control.

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When we try to break a bad habit, we tend to feel a void.
We miss our old habit, no matter how distructive it was.
Bad habits are like bad relationships, we get used to the space they take up in our lives.
I have heard coaches say that the best way to get over a bad habit is to have an immediate new good habit to replace it.
No great news to you reading this.
This concept got me wondering how powerful our words are when spoke over children, ourselves and others.
Then....I got to dreaming.
What if instead of saying to children, "If you don't have something good to say, say nothing"?
We more often said...
"If you can think of something good to say, say it...
Don't hold back.
Never miss an opportunity to be a source of encouragement to others.
You never know when you might see this person again.
Your words have positive power when spoken over others."

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If we did this, what kind of people would we raise?
How much easier would it be for our children to be confident, and attractive to others?
What would thier self-talk sound like?
Would their world be one new positive possibility after another?

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What would it hurt to try this?
Well, some may say that we would risk them getting hurt.
That life is hard.
From where I sit tonight, I would agree, life is hard.
It is harder for people who don't work hard and it is harder for people who are negative.

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Kids are going to get hurt no matter what. So why not teach them to be positive in the face of adversity....
To look for good at all times....
I think if we could muster up the confidence to try this we would find that more kids in the next generation more determined, so in love with life, that even when someone got in thier face and was trying to make an ass ofthemselves, they could shout back with joy, confidence and determination?

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