Before you read the next sentence, take a second to clear your mind and not assume you know what this article is about.
The past year has been especially hard on everyone, with most of us experiencing a loss of some type. It has made us more emotionally driven than before. There has been more passion but there also has been less listening. There have been many news stories about people who have gotten in trouble legally and culturally for saying or doing things that maybe they should have kept to themselves until a better time to express what they are feeling. Even businesses have been caught up in this with the result being a part of the “cancel culture.” Conversation has become almost one sided. Celebrities are constantly asking for apologies on social media and businesses are back-tracking, trying to correct for decisions that were made that were inappropriate or insensitive.
What is happening is we are caught up in the moment without considering the consequences of our actions. Too many things are being said and done at the absolute wrong time and place and although they may not be harmful in and of itself, the timing of when these things are done can have disastrous consequences. We need to take a moment before we do or say things and consider those consequences. I see “retractions” all the time on social media, chats and on the news because someone didn’t take a few seconds and consider how their response could negatively impact themselves or others. Yes, your voice matters but just because a thought or idea pops into your head at that moment doesn’t mean you need to express it immediately. Part of this comes from a lack of listening and evaluating what is happening at that moment in time. If you take your car to an auto shop and you think all car shops are shady, you probably shouldn’t express that to the shop owner. That may be your experience and you are rightfully entitled to your opinion but expressing it at the wrong time benefits no one, especially yourself.
Taking a few seconds before making any action gives you a chance to really flesh out your thoughts and to listen with both eyes and ears to what is happening around you. When someone is expressing their own ideas, don’t jump in with your own thoughts until you have taken a few seconds to digest their perspective. Sometimes what we say and do involves an explanation and when we don’t have the opportunity to do that, we should wait until we do so that we can be understood accurately.