You might be aware of the song called ‘Words’ by F R David? Whilst this song is about the meaning of love, we might look at it in the more broader sense in that words don’t come easy for some of us. For some, the ability to communicate, whether be the written word or the spoken word can be a challenge and so difficult it can cause relationship problems, both in the workplace and personally.

What can we do if we struggle with our words and how can we make ourselves understood? Unfortunately, with all the various ways of communicating nowadays, be it email, text, social media message, or even the letter or note form, the written word can be misconstrued and often misinterpreted, to the point of the other person picking the message or the meaning up totally wrong. The problem is, once the message is sent and received the ‘damage’ is often done and could be irreparable.

With the spoken word, we have the ability to be imaginative, create pictures in the listener’s mind, take them on a virtual journey. Authors manage this brilliantly taking the reader into another world!

Often the message despite being clearly articulated, whether spoken or written can be misheard, as the listener always hears or reads what they want to hear, and being human, will decipher the message in a way we as individuals can relate to depending on where we’re at, how we are feeling at the time, the type of relationship we have with that person etc.

If words don’t come easy for you, whether in the written or spoken word, it’s important to communicate in the best way possible, using our strengths and not using a medium that we are particularly weak in.

If we were to reflect on how often we have all been ‘picked up wrong’ with something we have said or written, and how long it has taken to rectify or clarify the situation, perhaps we can think about being more cautious about only communicating in the easiest way for us and the best way for that person.