CUFF /k^f/ : verb to tie down or lock something or someone.
In a fast-paced world like ours where there is easy access to information, and many social media platforms that go too far in their freedom of speech movement (no hate to Twitter though) – everyone seems to have an opinion about everything. The ability to keep quiet and listen is one of the habits that I want to harness this new year, especially when I think I know what to say. This so far has been one of my hardest challenges. Shutting up has never been easy except through consistent practice.
Once again, I bring good tidings; tips that could help you and me control our mouths this year;
- Guard your thoughts against certain things. Let’s start with this scenario, ‘Oh this certain celebrity just called out this other celebrity’, then fan-favorite bloggers would say, ‘what do you guys think about it?’ From the outset, you might consider it an innocent form of entertainment, but the problem with voicing your opinions about things like that even in the comfort of your thoughts is that it normalizes pettiness, adds no value to life and reduces your IQ.
(Proverbs 4:23; Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life)
2. Think before your talk. I know many of us must have heard this rule a thousand times. Even some of us use it in a talk-down battle but we still fall short of this rule. We should intentionally practice thinking before talking to reduce cringing shudders and awkwardness this year. You don’t want to come back from a social event or from meeting new people and spend the rest of your night wishing the ground would swallow you up just because you did not analyze your thoughts properly before letting them out.
(Proverbs 17:28: Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues)
3. Do not talk at all. This may seem like a very extreme rule but you have to learn when to talk and when to be silent. Being silent does not make you weak or stupid, it rather lengthens your life span. Especially when you know something don’t go about sharing your opinion without being sensitive to the environment you’re sharing it in. It is also important to note that humans are social beings and would relate to people differently. People’s opinions about you can vary based on your relationship with them, you don’t want to base your personal perception on unstable statistics.
4. Don’t Listen to Certain Thoughts. At this point you might be wondering what is this girl saying again, just hear me out. The year 2022 was a year of people being intentional about their mental health, we saw people openly fight body dysmorphia, struggle with productivity, and show vulnerability. We learned that our biggest enemy is not what people say about us, but what we say about ourselves. As easy as it may sound, our thoughts are what is left with us. They follow us everywhere we go; we have to learn how to analyze certain thoughts of ourselves. It is not enough to cancel it physically, but also cancel it internally.
5. Finally, Drink water. Do you think I’ll exclude this rule? – lmao. The weather is hot and there is love in the air, please let’s endeavor to drink enough water. It will help your skin glow and clean out your bowels simultaneously. In fact, the benefits are endless. The side effect may be that you visit the toilet on a more frequent basis, but don’t gatekeep the toilets, your soulmate is not tied there. There’s no love story where lovers meet on the toilet queue, don’t let yours be the first.
PS: I made this majorly talking to myself and I have nobody in particular in mind. Love you all that read till this point.
