Closed Captioning

August 7, 2018

This post is a little less fitness and recipes… but a little more health {mental health}… it’s a healthy dose of self reflection…”food for thought” if you will… enjoy!

Not too long ago, I was smashing out some cardio on the elliptical… the gym had my TV set to HGTV. A basic real-estate show came on, and I left it there… hoping it would distract me enough to make the time go by without having to think too hard. Well, of course I was distracted… but, this seemingly mindless show got me thinking.

At the gym all the TVs were set to Closed Captioning {for obvious reasons}… the young woman house hunting, was going on and on about her likes and dislikes of properties. However, I was able to see and read every word she said. And it really changes things.

Casual language we use everyday… mindless phrases we use… filler words we’ve created as habits…

What if you could see and read every word that came out of your mouth for one day?

This woman was just having an ordinary day, using ordinary language… but without being able to hear her tone of voice, or hear her listeners’ tone of voice… there were about ten different ways she could have offended someone. I’m entirely sure that offense was not her intention, but it just showed me the power of language… and that is the exact point of the topic… does your language match your intent?

How do you want your listeners to hear your voice?

What do you want to accomplish with your words?

Whether you are speaking to the masses, or whispering to your best friends… turn on your Closed Captioning. Imagine all the words you speak being written out for anyone to read.

Does it change things?

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“A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse one breaks the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

“Pleasing words are a honeycomb, sweet to the taste and invigorating to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

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So I challenge you, friends! Turn on your Closed Captioning today… and everyday for that matter… Speak with true intent, let your intent be kindness, and in the words of Toby Mac… speak life!

by courtney.