Nobody always or never does anything. People aren’t one-dimensional, so it’s not a good thing to define them by “always” and “never.” These phrases are guaranteed to make someone defensive and closed off to what you want to say. Instead simply point out what the other person’s behavior is a problem for you. If the frequency of the behavior is an issue, you can say, “It seems like you do this often,” or “You do this often enough for me to notice. . .”
I could have added more to this list – but I thought these ten were enough to chew on for now. I ask myself how many times do I glibly say things that might tear down instead of build up another person?
I believe the key is discernment. Discernment with genuine thoughtfulness: we can’t go wrong with those two. Add a dose of God’s love and compassion and we’ll make a big difference in our relationships.
Do you have some “never say” phrases you’d like to share? Send them to me here and I”ll post them!
