Words are very powerful

I have realized the power of my words more and more. Sometimes I say things that I could later kick myself for. But they are the method we use to communicate.

In 3D we have the advantage of our senses.....According to this book I've read, there are three parts of a message.

Visual cues contribute 55% to the overall message. Our tone of voice contributed 38% to the overall message. Verbal words contribute only 7% to our overall message.

And when you stop to consider that in an environment such as a forum...we really only have our words........aarrgghh!!

When I reply to a post I often spend a lot of time laboring over the right words to use...and even then it sometimes backfires! The only thing I know to do is to keep on learning and keep on talking.

I'm interested in what others here have to contribute to this issue?
Sweet


"It's never too late to be what you might have been". George Eliot

There is so much truth in what your last line was, "the only thing I know to do is keep on learning and keep on talking."
Very good
"darkeyes"

yes words are powerful. let me ramble . . . . i imagine it [reading message boards] is the same as listening. i read into things i want, just as i hear what i want to hear. also, English teachers claim the students have a voice through their writings. if you look deep enough into some of the posts here, you find similiar cues. with anonymity, online, all people have are their words. do you ever wonder why a post is too wordy, vague, cold, evasive, happy, or inconsistent, etc.? i prefer writing my thoughts out than talking. maybe [through writing] i'm hiding, fantasizing, or exploring my true inner self? i think the reader knows me better.

I think I am much better at expressing myself through the written word. I can just write out my thoughts and they seem to come more freely. When the words are spoken there is another person there I have to reply to and that complicates things, creates an interuption in my thoughts.
Also in writing words you have the option to mske full use of the backspace button which you can't do so easily when you are talking to someone.
Heidu

I know what you mean....I use the backspace key often too!

But there are times.... I have to face someone...like my husband.....and I need to get out the right words...watch the tone of my voice...etc. If I feel like I am going to say something purely out of anger I usually ask if I can think about things and get back with him later.
Sweet.

"It's never too late to be what you might have been". George Eliot

I always been pretty good at expressing myself verbally. I don't say thngs I don't mean so I never have to apologize. I guess I already have thought about what I will say or I can process feelings quickly. It intimidates people so my "gift" is not necessarily a blessing.
My husband gets really irritated cause I "have and answer to everything" and "always make sense". Poor baby.
Heidu

I'm pretty good at expressing myself verbally....which annoys my husband to no end. I usually mean what I say and say what I mean. I try to think about things that may come up beforehand so I will be prepared to give an answer. Thank God we aren't living together!!!!!

Sweet

"It's never too late to be what you might have been". George Eliot