Be thankful, be grateful, be patient, be charitable, be kind, and don’t forget to smile, as it is infectious.
~~~ Sorry for the late post due to a snow related power outage ~~~~
This is an easy one, at least for me and most of my siblings anyway. My father, a WWII Army Sgt., raised us not to use the word – CAN’T
If you asked, he would explain it by saying, “It lives among its relatives and the other so-called excuse words that open the door to laziness and learning. He would include, at times, the words – ‘Won’t’, ‘Couldn’t’, ‘Don’t’, and ‘Shouldn’t‘. I might add the word –WHATEVER! to that list. It’s like nails across a blackboard of snobbishness, ignorance, rudeness, and dismissiveness. All bad traits to have when being used in intelligent conversation and debate. When using it most times these days, you might as well say – “I don’t care what you have to say!”
Point to Ponder: 10 Rules for Calm and Respectful Discussion
Be patient – Good conversations take time. Stay calm and give others time to think and speak.
Respect different opinions – Everyone has a right to their own views. Listen without judging.
Listen to understand, not just to reply – Focus on what the other person is saying before thinking about your response.
Speak for yourself – Use “I think…” or “In my experience…” to share your point of view without making generalisations.
Avoid assumptions and labels – Don’t assume you know what someone thinks or believes. Ask questions to learn more.
Look for common ground – Try to find things you agree on, even if your opinions are different.
Be honest but respectful – Share your thoughts clearly, but in a way that is kind and thoughtful.
Stay curious and open-minded – Be willing to learn something new or see things from a different perspective.
Do not try to win – The goal is understanding, not “winning” an argument or proving someone wrong.
Create a safe space – Make sure everyone feels comfortable to speak, even if they have a different opinion.
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