Kind words

Never underestimate how powerful words can be. Everything we say has an impact, whether we realize it or not. We may not intend to hurt someone, but sometimes saying the wrong thing can do just that. On the flip side, when someone is down, saying the right thing can bring them up, sometimes to a place they haven’t been before.

Being overweight almost my whole life, I know how bad words can hurt. I was bullied and made fun of since I was very young. I was constantly torn down, and hardly ever built back up. The few friends I had tried their best, but their kind words were often overpowered by the negativity of others. Consequently, I grew up with low self-esteem and very little self-confidence. I started to get a little bit of it in my 20s, but it was a very slow process. I think my biggest gains in both self-esteem and self-confidence didn’t come until I hit my 40s. I’ve learned a lot over the past couple of years, although I know I have a long way yet to go.

As I navigate my way through this journey, I realize more and more the impact kind words can have. When I’m having a bad day, a simple “you’re doing great” or “keep up the good work” from anyone can really help. When someone who hasn’t seen me in a while tells me how great I look, I can’t help but stand a little taller and smile a little bigger. When someone stops me to tell me how proud they are of me, my heart just melts. And when I feel like giving up, someone is there to say “you got this” or “I know you can do it” or “I believe in you”, and I keep going.

These things may not seem like a big deal to most people, but they mean the world to me. And each kind word helps build my confidence, tells me that I’m on the right track. The more I hear how well I’m doing, the more I want to do. The more people say how proud they are of me, the more I want to keep going. Every kind word inspires and motivates me. I know I’ll still have my bad days, but when I do, I’ll do my best to remember the good things people say to me and about me. And maybe, in the future, I will have fewer and fewer bad days.

So to all those people who have offered me their kind words, I thank you. You may think it’s a simple gesture on your part, but it means everything to me.

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