“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.” – Buddha

The words we use every day have the power to influence for better or worse. Even the smallest of phrases or words can impact those around you, so choose carefully! Here are a few examples of simple expressions that carry big meanings.

Thank You – Expressing gratitude to someone for something they did or said is one of the best ways to connect to a human being. This simple phrase will make the other person feel good—and it’ll make you feel good, too. Everyone enjoys a sincere thank you; it makes us feel important.

I Forgive You – Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to come by in our culture. It’s difficult to put down hurt feelings and forgive, but doing so will go a long way. Saying these simple words to someone will release you both from the pain and suffering that they might have caused. The big impact of this one is bigger than just the moment. It will affect you both positively going forward.

You Are Amazing – Make that extra effort to go out of your comfort zone and tell the people in your life how amazing and wonderful they are. If you’re not big on words, you don’t have to use a lot of them—as long as you are sincere, your few words will go a long way. Receiving a thoughtful compliment is a great feeling, but it actually stirs compassion and kindness in the compliment-giver, too.

I Appreciate You – Appreciation is one of the highest-level human needs. We crave to be accepted and to belong, in social circles, in romantic relationships, in our families, in our jobs. Speak out to someone whom you appreciate. You’ll make them feel better than you’ll ever know. Feeling appreciated for what you do is incomparable to almost anything else a person could do for you.

I Love You – Maybe you didn’t hear this phrase a lot growing up, and perhaps it’s difficult for you to say it to other people. Gestures to express love are often very helpful, but for many people, it’s still nice to hear that little phrase. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy speech; just this simple phrase will leave a big impact!

I’m Sorry – Apologizing and admitting that we are wrong is almost as hard as forgiving someone else when they’ve hurt you. It takes a stab at our pride, but it’s the right thing to do when you’ve hurt someone or when you’re wrong about something. It builds humility in your personality, as well as building your relationship with that person when you sincerely express that you are sorry for something.

Good job – Being appreciated is an extremely important thing to feel, as mentioned above.

Furthermore, when you’re working at a company, or otherwise performing a function that requires you to, essentially, serve another person, it’s an incredible feeling to be told that you’re doing a good job. It takes appreciation one step further and specifically indicates that this person is doing or providing something valuable and appreciated. These small words will have a big impact on your partner, your parents, and your clients/employees, if applicable.

About Alex Blackwell

Alex Blackwell is the author of Letting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender, which includes 10 free Peace and Balance tools.
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