Words: Build Up or Breakdown
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”
Words hold weight. The Business Relationship Management Institute describes, “In an experiment, ‘Do Words Hurt?’, Maria Richter and collaborating scientists monitored subjects’ brain responses to auditory and imagined negative words.” They discovered, “painful or negative words increase Implicit Processing (IMP).” Harsh comments increase unconscious processing in the part of the brain that regulates emotions, contributing to anxiety.

Positive thoughts interrupt anxious patterns. Authors Dr. Andrew Newburg and Mark Waldman write in their book Words Can Change Your Brain, “a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.” Encouragement leads to action, preventing an individual from spiraling into sadness.

The Power of the Tongue.
What we say matters. You’ve probably heard the phrase “Ignorance is Bliss.” The Webster dictionary explains the saying is “used to say that a person who does not know about a problem does not worry about it.” However, Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” (NLT). Speaking thoughtlessly means contributing to a problem without acknowledging it exists. Words can tear down or build up.

Encouragement is a gift, and a piece of the gift is human presence. In relationships and in conversations – be there and build up. If there was a way guaranteed to make someone else’s day a little bit better…would you go for it? Be an encourager and follow these steps:

• Be an example: show courage by walking in confidence that others can look to for support.
• Express appreciation: Let the people in your life know you care for them by writing them a note, sending a text, or telling them in person.
• Give a blessing and pray for others. Prayer is the best form of encouragement and the most loving gesture because we serve a perfect God.

Prayer is a language to God. The Business Relationship Management Institute explains, “This holds for humans individually, as well as organizationally. A strong company culture is one derived from a shared positive language based on organizational core values” (para. 12).

At Echoing Hills, prayer is the positive language the organization shares, fueling our core values.

https://anextraordinaryday.net/52-practical-and-thoughtful-ways-to-encourage-others/#:~:text=Tell%20them%20what%20they%20are,Give%20words%20of%20blessing.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304395909004564
https://brm.institute/neuroscience-behind-words/
https://dictionary.apa.org/implicit-process
https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/leadership/articles/what-do-your-words-say/#:~:text=Positive%20words%20strengthen%20areas%20in,motivational%20centers%20of%20the%20brain.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignorance%20is%20bliss#:~:text=used%20to%20say%20that%20a,believes%20that%20ignorance%20is%20bliss.