Do you remember the old game of telephone? Messages start simple, then morphed as they passed from one person to the next. As a child, it taught me an important lesson about spreading gossip and going directly to the source.
Recently, I experienced a real-life version of that game. I gave a presentation to a small group of professionals, both in person and online. Before I completed the three-hour drive home, parts of my message had already traveled through at least three other people. And just like in childhood, the message shifted slightly from how it was intended.
And I learned a new lesson. Our words carry weight and need to be used with care. How we represent ourselves through our words may return to us.
Not long after, I attended a leadership training and met a kind man. We connected quickly, grounded in shared values and mutual need for support. On the second day, I learned more about his professional role and realized we stood on opposite sides of a conflict in another part of our lives.
The moment presented a choice. I could retreat into assumption, or I could step forward and build a bridge. I chose the bridge.
Our actions, like our words, hold power and reverberate. They return to us in ways we rarely expect.
Consistency matters. Who we are today, what we say and how we show up, doesn’t stay contained in the present moment. It shapes the encounters that follow. It will implicate us in future interactions.
So I’ve started asking myself a simple question: when I meet my words and actions again, what will they say about me?
As a child, I remember the song “It’s a Small World.” Its message on repeat felt simple then. But life has proven it true. The distances between us are smaller than we think. Paths cross. Circles overlap. We meet again.
And so, I’ve made a quiet decision.
In every way I can, I want my words and actions to reflect who I truly am. I choose to be proud of each version of me when I am introduced to myself at the next unexpected encounter. And, when I fall short, I will make amends, rebuild a bridge, and choose again.