“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” ~ Lao-Tze
This week in Juicy Bites, we discover:
- The case for getting creative when meeting women and girls
- A writer who won’t change her words for the patriarchy
- 3 language habits that take power away from our words, according to Tara Sophia Mohr
- The importance of bringing awareness to self-talk
- A visual aid to make sure your body language backs up the power of your words
At the end of this post, we encourage you to join us for a conversation. This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women, is:
1. How to Talk to a Woman Without Saying, “Great Boots”: A Guide for Women via Slate
When meeting women or girls for the first time, what are you likely to ask them? The easy go-to is often a compliment about their appearance. We women have great style, it’s true, but there’s a lot more substance to us than our spectacular shoes. This article invites us to get creative when striking up conversations with our fellow females, and outlines why it’s so important to make the effort.
[‘Great boots!’] is a scourge not just because of what it says to girls about what we value about them, but also because girls absorb this mode of interaction and use it for the rest of their lives.”
2. I Am, I Am, I Am: Writing While Black and Female via The Toast
Has anyone ever suggested that you water down your words in order to appear more marketable or to appeal to a larger (younger, whiter, etc.) audience? Writer Vanessa Willoughby takes inspiration from bell hooks and refuses to write small.
“Why should I back down? Why should I be made to feel ashamed for pursuing a writer’s life that speaks to my experiences?”
3. Communication mistakes with big impact via Tara Sophia Mohr
Tara Sophia Mohr, expert on women’s leadership and well-being, identifies common communication mistakes that keep women from “playing big.” She also offers insight into the motivations behind these mistakes and suggests new, stronger language habits we can form instead.
“Our words are our opportunity. That opportunity is bigger than ever before because women are more literate than ever before and have access to technology — from laptops to email — that amplify our communication.”
4. From Stupid to Silly with Self-Love via Huff Post Women
It’s not only the words we say that have power, but also the words we think. Self-love advocate Dayelle Deanna Schwartz addresses the problem of negative self-talk and the power of a simple word substitution to shift our self-perception.
“While this incident didn’t stop my habit of immediately berating myself for a mistake, it did raise my consciousness to begin a new habit — using gentler words when I did something I didn’t like.”
5. 10 Body Language Tips Every Speaker Must Know (Infographic) via Entrepreneur.com
We’ve touched on the language of our speech, writing, and thoughts, but what about the language of our bodies? If actions speak louder than words, we might all want to take a look at this infographic to make sure we’re sending the signals we’re intending.
“Your words may give the audience one message while your body sends quite another.”
We are excited to start a conversation and learn more from YOU, dear emerging women. Please join in with a comment below:
