| We all have heard someone speak of how the tongue | | | | the problem child and I owed it all to my left handed |
| is truly mightier than the sword and if you stop to think | | | | curse. This is the dangerous cycle that is caused by |
| about it you might be surprised to learn how true that | | | | negative words that are rendered so often until they |
| statement can be for so many people. I know many | | | | finally take root and grow out of control. |
| of you are already saying to yourself, "this in a bunch | | | | As we fast forward to my last year in high school, I |
| of bologna" words cannot really cause a person to | | | | found myself as the guy who had finally had enough |
| have unmeasured success or total paralysis infused | | | | of feeling like a second class citizen. I remember sitting |
| with self doubt. | | | | at my desk thinking to myself, "are you just an |
| Well lets exam this a little deeper just to figure out | | | | average boy who isn't going to amount to anything or |
| what words really are capable of doing to an individual. | | | | are you a hidden genius who can do anything he puts |
| For the sake of this case study I will use myself as an | | | | his mind to and if that is indeed the case then put up or |
| example, but feel free to substitute your own | | | | shut up." |
| challenges as you read along. | | | | That epiphany caused a fire to be lit on the inside of |
| I was born in 1966 as a future left handed individual in a | | | | me and I began to research other left handed |
| family of three right handed people. As I began writing | | | | individuals and I was surprise to find a common thread |
| my dear mother tried to get me to write with my right | | | | of tremendous creativity and as they say the rest |
| hand and after many failed attempts she defaulted to | | | | was history. I made it a point to build myself up by |
| a routine of reminding me of my left handed state in a | | | | repeating positive statements to myself throughout the |
| negative fashion. She would comment on how do you | | | | day and especially when someone would try to speak |
| hold those things with that ole hand of yours and don't | | | | ill of me. I vowed to never give anyone else the power |
| you drop that stuff with that left hand of yours. She | | | | to limit my abilities or beliefs. I began earning all A/B's in |
| came up with varying degrees of the same negative | | | | school and I even went on to college and finished with |
| statements throughout the course of my life. | | | | a degree in architecture. I have been drawing, painting, |
| Now understanding how impressionable children can | | | | and sculpting for over 30 years now and I have won |
| be combined with the fact that she never questioned | | | | countless awards and accolades. |
| my brother about his right hand state; I began to | | | | I have made it my life's work to speak words of |
| develop a serious destructive complex. I often | | | | positivity and empowerment over everyone I |
| wondered if I was diagnosed with some type of life | | | | encounter. My children have benefited tremendously |
| altering or threatening issue because I was born writing | | | | from this lifestyle philosophy and as a result they are |
| with my left hand. I just could not figure out why my | | | | both recognized as "gifted" students and they have |
| Mother refused to tell me the truth about what was | | | | excelled in all aspects of their lives. |
| really wrong with me concerning my left hand since | | | | The conclusion of this story is simply to watch what |
| she went out of her way, on numerous occasions, to | | | | you say, even in the name of helping someone out for |
| make sure I never forgot. | | | | the better, because you might be surprised to know |
| Just imagine how you would feel if every few days | | | | what type of impact your words may have on that |
| you got a constant negative reminder from the one | | | | individual. There are ways to convey information and |
| person who said she would always be there to look | | | | knowledge that will allow someone to benefit from |
| out for your best interest! My entire personality was a | | | | your guidance, while still maintaining a positive structure |
| polar opposite compared to the rest of my family | | | | for their success. |
| members such that I often felt like the black sheep or | | | | |