Philosophy
We live in a world that travels at a warp speed. Time has become our most valuable commodity.
Today, people say and do rather nasty things towards each other almost without a second thought. I feel one of the worst things today is propelling destructive and hurtful language back and forward between people without thinking, whether it is a classroom, on the playing field, in an office cubicle or across a dinner table.
As you can imagine, I have had many things said to me over my lifetime. I can at times be ignorant of language, it’s use and the barriers it can cause. It has been important for me not to pay attention to what people have said to me, from an early age right through to today. If I had listened to the destructive and hurtful language tossed my way through ignorance, lack of kindness or knowledge, I would not have achieved the things I have done or be where I am today.
Blocking out the negatives has been a full time job for me. My focus has been on achieving and doing what most said I could not do. This does not mean to say that things that have been said to me over the years have not scared me. Nor does this mean that I have not ever retaliated with destructive and hurtful language of my own. I am aware of the impact that language can have on others. I know this from my own experiences and today as an inspirational speaker.
As an inspirational speaker these days, I do as much talking as I do listening to what others have to share with me. It is from what people say to me that I have become truly aware of the impact that my words and story can have on people. I get told every day how what I have said has impacted someone, somewhere some way through conversations, letters and e-mails.
Having listened to what I am being told, what surprises me most these days is what we actually say to ourselves and how we treat ourselves, even more how we speak of and to others. The impact of what is said to us can have an enormous consequence on our actions, choices and even belief in others and even ourselves.
If you ask me today what I think the worst word in the world is, what do you think I would say? I believe that the worst word in the world is a 4-lettered word but it isn’t what you think. To me the worst word is a very simple word and it’s ‘JUST’. How do I come to this conclusion?
For example, you are not ‘JUST’ parents nor are you ‘JUST’ brothers or sisters. You are leaders, providers and you are a family. You are not ‘JUST’ a teacher, ‘JUST’ a secretary, ‘JUST’ a bus driver or ‘JUST’ a manager. You are part of a system that contributes your own unique skills and talents to make our society work. You are not ‘JUST’ a child, ‘JUST’ a student or ‘JUST’ a teenager. You are our youth, and our future.
Let me tell you that you are not ‘JUST’ anything. You, like me, are a human being, talented, special and an individual. You are not ‘JUST’ anyone you are someone.
Our community and even our world reflects the way we treat each other and how we speak to each other. If you don’t think you have enough time to put some thought into how we treat ourselves and others, MAKE TIME. Putting our brain and hearts into gear before we open our mouths can make an enormous difference… you’d be surprised.
What we say to each other and how we treat each other counts. It shows us how we feel about ourselves, our confidence, our imagination, our ideas and our future.
Remember you are not ‘JUST’ anyone you are someone special. The person next to you is someone special too. Speak to each other with love, purpose, understanding and kindness.
Every individual human being born on this earth has the capacity to become a unique and special person, unlike any who has ever existed before or will ever exist again.
There is no ‘JUST’…
John Coutis
