"Be impeccable with your word"

This quote is from a life-changing book called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I've been thinking about this particular agreement a lot lately. "Be Impeccable With Your Word". Powerful stuff! These days words get tossed around- texted, tweeted, posted. Rarely are they used in an impeccable manner.

The words we use everyday- to speak to ourselves, our children and others- define us. They project on the universe a picture of who it is we make ourselves to be. 

Speaking our truth, our struggle and our triumph makes us vulnerable. Opens us up to criticism and critique. But our truth is all we have. 

Amazing author and researcher, Brene Brown has done some incredible work on vulnerability. She describes vulnerability as "showing up and being seen". 

Recently I found the need (a compulsion perhaps) to be seen, or rather heard, in my most favorite way: a brilliantly composed letter on an issue I am passionate about.

Unfortunately (I guess?) it wasn't received well. In fact, I was admonished for sharing my view. 

In the past, I likely would have crawled  into a hole, regretting my actions. Rehashing the event and how I could have/ should have chosen differently. 

But this time, this time I did not do that. 

Sure, it didn't feel good to get "in trouble". Sure, I wondered about lingering repercussions. 

But in the end- I had an opinion and  information and I shared it. I put myself out there and "spoke for the trees". I said what I meant, and I did so "impeccably"!

And after all...