20 THINGS TO SAY IN YOUR LIFETIME

Image by Chris Sgaraglino via Flickr Words have impact. From, "Ask not what you can do for your country...." to "One small step for mankind." But whether in the midst of a phenomenal event or an every day circumstance, there are moments when what we say is as much or more important than what we do.

Having worked in the field of communication for years, I think there are 1000 Things You Should SAY  Before You Die...But 1,000 would be far too many for this post, so I picked the 20 most significant phrases you should utter before you die. 

1) I made a mistake...accept the ownership of your debacle and move on. It can be invigorating and life changing.

2) I don't know...Only God is all knowing, so never be too wise to admit you are not God.

3) I need help...Seriously a phrase that becomes difficult to say unless you are capable of humbling yourself enough to keep learning.

4) It was my fault...Like acknowledging a mistake but actually accepting ownership of it without blaming someone else.

5) It doesn't matter...sometimes it really doesn't and hearing yourself say it aloud validates that.

6) What can I do to help? ...Often we don't know what to do in circumstances but asking might at least admit you are open to suggestions?

7) This makes my heart happy...Do you know how often telling someone that who has made your heart smile is a true statement of gratitude.

8) I'm so sorry...But not just those 3 words, follow it up with, how can I fix this or make it better?

9) You did a great job...Often people just want to know they accomplished something others recognize.

10) I'm ready to....Until you make a commitment to start something, it is often impossible to commit to stopping something.


11) What's your opinion?...Then really listen and hear another person's thoughts on something.


12) We are in this together...Everyone likes to know that when it really comes down to it, they have support.


13) Thank you because...We often thank someone regularly but like "have a nice day", it becomes little more than a cliche unless we specifically volunteer what really made us grateful.


14) Let it go...A good thing to tell yourself or another when there is nothing else left to say or do.

Image by Larah McElroy via Flickr

15) I forgive you...How different the world would be if we just offered those words as a peace offering


16) I respect you...Same with this response. It's a level playing field when you let someone know regardless of his/her stand on something, they have your respect.


17) I agree...Simple and often just one vote of confidence for someone who goes out on a limb.


18) I couldn't have done it without you because...Everyone wants to believe they offer something special, but when you notice it and comment what really stood out, it becomes a great personal compliment.


19) Where am I headed?...A good question to ask ourselves regularly to determine if we are even remotely in the direction we set out to be going.


20)  I really love you...Self Explanatory but really needs to be said often especially to those who matter most in our lives. We never know when those might be the last words someone hears, but how sweet the sound.


There are probably countless other comments to make sure you use in your lifetime.  
What's your favorite?
What do you wish you  WOULD have said if given the chance to "do it over"
 

I AM HIS WORK IN PROGRESS

Image by Leonard John Matthews via FlickrMost people would tell you I'm not a girl of few words. But I am going to try and tell my story in a few 6 word statements and hope you will get the picture.

As a little girl and into much of my young adulthood I did things according to my 6 word philosophy..."I CAN DO IT BY MYSELF." Today's experts might have called me a strong willed child or a creative independent, but the truth was, I was just plain stubborn. I wanted what I wanted whenever I wanted it and I worked to achieve that and was disappointed if what I wanted did not come to pass. It may not have been the worst philosophy, but I am sure I stepped on other people's toes and caused my parents to questions the "joys of parenthood." because of my "I KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR ME." behavior.

As a young wife and mother, I believed in God and prayed although I often saw God as the one who should respond to my other 6 word mantra, "MY WISH SHOULD BE HIS COMMAND."  I prayed for much of what I wanted and thought I needed, knew I was blessed but seldom took the time to deliver much gratitude to the Lord except during the rituals of my faith. God was my Santa Claus or so I thought, guaranteeing I would get just what I wanted if I was good enough. I believed I was entitled if I worked hard and when I saw things that did not seem right, I would say, "I WISH SOME THINGS WOULD CHANGE." and blame circumstances, events and even others when things did not go my way. "NONE OF THIS IS MY FAULT."
filtered through most of my thoughts.

God allowed me to continue to bang my head against the wall often, hoping I would eventually pay more attention to Him. Thankfully age, maturity and mostly exceptional people and divine circumstances led me to absorb an incredible truth, "HIS DEATH GAVE ME ETERNAL LIFE". I recognized I could do nothing by myself but sought counsel and direction through a relationship with God. I stopped blaming everything or everyone and making excuses for what should have been and realized, "THE DIFFERENCE MUST START WITH ME."  In time, I also realized I was not only encouraged to make that difference but expected to do so and discovered if we are passionate about something and "TURN OUR PLANS OVER TO GOD." we will experience a life even our imagination can not fathom.



This relationship and awareness led me to truly embrace the statement, "WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE," and I know issues like gender, age, socioeconomic status, education and a multitude of other resources are poor predictors of what God can do whenever He wants something done.


You might wonder why I am sharing all of this and I will be quite transparent. I would love to earn a scholarship to attend the Proverbs 31 SHE SPEAKS CONFERENCE  and one of the requirements was to post a 6 word comment and write a blog post about it. So I wondered if I could ever choose 6 words that make an impact. I thought of everything but kept coming back to "I AM HIS WORK IN PROGRESS". I certainly try to embrace this gift daily;sometimes not as effectively as I would hope but far from the strong willed, impatient and selfish child of God I was. I truly am still a huge work in progress,  but there is not one day that I doubt my relationship with God has not made the biggest difference in my life and so I wonder, what are the 6 words that make a difference in your life?

Image via Wikipedia
For me, I know when this life is over, "THE BEST IS YET TO COME" and this is my story or at least, 
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT.