What do you tell yourself about what you say, or write, or think? Do you reflect upon each word with care, picking apart the prose, or does it stream out without hesitation? How would it sound if you reversed your habits?

Who presides over the value of your words? If you hate your speech, who denies that? Someone somewhere likely wants to hear what you have to say. Or maybe they’d rather read it. Or watch it. Your message may just need a different medium.

If, instead, you think highly of your speech, who affirms that? Our own voices can sound so sweet to our own ears (in content if not in sound). How could you challenge yourself to present your thoughts in their best light? You could practice in a blog, in a presentation, or in your next moment of small talk. There are so many opportunities to level-up with each word.

Take some time to analyse your speech. Perhaps a re-read of your recent writings, a re-listen of your last recorded conference call, or a meditation upon your thoughts. When it comes to history, happiness, communication, and comprehension, linguistics are life. What will you tell yourself about your own words this time next year?