BLOG
THINK…
How often growing up did we hear the phrase “think before you speak?” Whether from parents or teachers, we are encouraged from a young age to put some thought behind our words. To understand that our words have an impact, so we should think about what we want to say and be responsible for what comes out of our mouths.
In today’s world, where social media is a massive part of our lives and how we interact, socialize, and communicate with the world, it is even more critical that we are reminded of the value of thinking before we speak. Unfortunately, interacting socially from behind a screen often gives people a false sense of privacy and safety. It gives people more confidence and courage to act and say things they usually are more cautious about saying or doing in person. People often become more reckless with their behaviors and words online, which could have negative implications and even lead to dangerous situations.
It is especially true and crucial with children, teens, and young adults. They are growing up in a world where it takes a push of a button for their words, opinions, and experiences to be shared online forever. Teaching them to think before they speak, and to be aware of the impact of their words, actions, and behaviors is a very critical skill we must encourage and help them develop.
THINK
Last year, my children’s school shared an important message with the parents to help educate children on how to be responsible citizens when using social media. They came up with a simple way to help kids become more thoughtful and intentional about how they interact online. Using the word THINK to help them decide if something is worth posting online or not. It stands for a set of questions for the students to ask themselves every time before deciding to post something new on social media.
• T: Is it True?
• H: Is it Helpful?
• I: Is it Inspiring?
• N: Is it Necessary?
• K: Is it Kind?
These five questions are not only helpful for children, and they are not only beneficial in becoming more responsible on social media. When considering them, these questions help us become thoughtful, responsible human beings in all our interactions, whether with family, friends, colleagues, or strangers, in person or online.
In my work, I often speak about the value of building our sense of self-awareness. Developing our ability to pause, think and reflect on our behaviors, and the intentions behind our actions. These five THINK questions help us do that. They allow us to pause, think, and notice if there is any value in what we are about to share with others. They also help us think about the possible outcomes. These questions are what our parents meant when they told us growing up to think before we speak.
I decided for a week to see what it would be like to consider these five questions before I interact with others and to see what I can notice in myself and learn from this experience. At first, it was a little challenging to remember to pause and intentionally think about these questions. With time, however, I saw two things that started happening. First, I slowed down. I started naturally taking more time before I had something to say, and I listened deeper and better to myself and others. The second thing I noticed was how much time is spent unintentionally on sharing things that are simply a waste of time; they either were unnecessary, not helpful, or didn’t bring much value to our lives or experiences. How about you? What do you think you can learn about yourself or your life from doing this small exercise?
For the coming week, give yourself the chance to try it. See what you notice when you use this THINK method and ask yourself these five simple questions before you speak. Notice if what you are about to say or do is truthful, helpful, inspiring, necessary, or kind. What else are you noticing about yourself? What impact does this have on your experiences and on others? And What can you learn from this that brings you value?
Sincerely,
Rasha Afifi-Talleh
Executive Coach
CPCC, ACC, ORSC trained
