Does it need to be said?

I have learned to ask myself some questions before I say something. (I don’t always do it, but when I do it, I am more likely to have a good outcome.)

The questions are:

• Does it need to be said?

  Just because you thought about something, doesn’t mean it needs to said aloud. There may be other ways to communicate your message, or it may be something that turns out to be useless. I can think of several examples in my life where I wish I had kept my mouth closed. Or when I got across my message by something I did.

• Does it need to be said by me?

  After you have decided that it needs to be said by someone, think about whther you are the right person to say it. Is there someone the person would be more receptive to listening to? For example, they might listen to a doctor and not to you.

• Does it need to be said now?

  I used to say something whenever it popped into my head. I was afraid that I would forget it. But when I pick and choose when I say something, the outcome is usually better.

Do you have any other questions to ask yourself before saying something? Please post them!