Pause, Reflect, Send with Kindness
The minute that we hit that keyboard and the message is launched, those words are out in the world and there's no way to retract them. It's just like it: when you squeeze out toothpaste from the tube, no matter how hard you try, you cannot put it back in. That is why it is important to take a moment to reflect on what one is saying before sharing it. Our words have a way of affecting others so much more than we would imagine at times. Say you are irate with your friend and are texting him. Maybe something he says aggravates you, and not thinking, you tap out a quick response that is a little sharp. You do not mean to hurt their feelings, but your words might stick with them. They may begin to second-guess themselves, or worse, feel offended or hurt by something said. At the time, it may seem like no big deal to hit send, but then later on, one may wish he or she had said something differently or approached a situation with more care. Another important thing to bear in mind is t...