Have you ever left a conversation feeling like: “Why did I say that?” or “I should have said this.” Of course you have. We all have, which why I want to remind you that you control your conversations.
We shouldn’t feel forced to discuss certain topics if we aren’t comfortable, nor should we answer questions that we really don’t want to answer. Some people are nosey and their main objective when speaking with us is to get as much information as possible. Some people are gossips, others are negative, and the list goes on.
Now, I’m not saying that it’s all bad and to trust no one. I’m just reminding us all to be wise with our words. I try to ask the Lord everyday to guide my thoughts, words, and actions. Sometimes we’re more focused on being polite than we are on being wise.
Wisdom should trump politeness in conversations.
“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
– Proverbs 21:23
2 Factors to Help You Control Your Conversations:
1- Your values. Your values help you determine what is and isn’t up for discussion. Know what you are comfortable discussing before you’re in the middle of a conversation. A few suggestions on what not to discuss in general conversations are marital or money issues. Everyone may have different limits on what they’ll discuss and that’s okay. Just know your values.
2- Who you’re speaking with. The fact is that we trust some people more than we trust others. Our trust in a person should certainly influence our conversation. We always have to consider who we are talking to in order to know what to say and what not to say. Public speakers refer to this as audience analysis.
Conversations are a large part of life and they have a huge influence over the quality of our lives so don’t engage in them carelessly. Be thoughtful, wise, and most of all don’t feel powerless in your conversations.
You control your conversations.
