It’s no secret that rubber bands will break if enough tension is created by stretching them, and in order to ease said tension, you should release. Similarly, “releasing” can relieve tension in our lives, both personally and professionally. Although there are times when “releasing” may be the best option in order to avoid tension and the result(s) of built-up anger, there remain times when some things are simply better left unsaid.
The age-old saying we’ve all heard from our mothers is invaluable. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” I’m fairly certain most five-year-olds could recite that quote without a problem. What I learned, today, however, is the power of that quote as it relates to digital space.
Has this been emphasized enough with our children? Do they truly understand the enormous impact of their digital footprints? I’m not 100% sure most of us (adults) fully understand. Just like we can’t retract hurtful spoken words, we can’t use the “Delete” button to undo the damage our words may cause from behind a computer screen.
In that moment of anger, frustration, hurt, or annoyance, while those words may be ones that you want people to see, to ensure that there is absolutely no misunderstanding of your true feelings, would you want those same people to reference those words three years from now in a conversation related to their perception of your feelings toward them?
Talk about tension.