Say It Out Loud

This morning a friend had a conversation with her kids on the way to school. They were talking about behaviour and choices. She, like many of us, has had similar conversations in the past in an effort to get her kids to understand how every decision we make has a consequence but this morning was different. This morning she hit upon something, a truth, that they had never heard before. She tilted the conversation and looked at this issue from a different angle.

"How different would your choices be if they were said out loud and in front of those you love? For example, I am thinking I will start doing drugs, I am going to flirt with another man other than your dad, I will closet eat, going to look at pornography today, Today I plan on lying to you ... "

When I heard about this conversation I was stunned. I had never thought about my behaviour in this light before. I had never stopped to think about how much of my life would be affected, how many things I would change, if I had to declare my actions and intentions first.

When Dude was wee he used to give us a moment by moment account of his actions, "I am playing with the red car. I am going to have a drink of water. I am building a tower. I am going pee." We used to tell him all the time it wasn't necessary to tell us every little thing he was doing but maybe it is?

It comes down to accountability, right? If we all realised that we really are accountable for our actions, for the impact our decisions have on those around us would we still lie, cheat, gossip and steal? If we were required to say aloud our intentions before our actions would we still follow through?

I'm going to try something today. Just for the next twenty four hours I am going to say out loud what I am about to do, especially if my actions will affect someone else. I don't need an audience, I think hearing the words and the projected consequence will be enough for me, enough to make me stop and think about the big picture. I am going to be accountable to myself, no more lying, cheating, stealing or hiding from me ... I am going to shine a light into my own heart, even if I don't like what I might see hiding in there.

I'm going to say it, see it and change it. I'm going to say it out loud ... will you?

While we are free to chose our actions we are not free to chose the consequences of our actions.
~Stephen R. Covey

Thanks L.H.