Have you ever taken a moment to think about how powerful your words really are? To understand what they're really capable of? One of my favorite Proverbs growing up was about the power of the tongue - that through it, we have the ability to either preserve life or destroy it.

That's pretty heavy, isn't it?

I think it's especially fitting in today's times where most of what we "say" is done online. As technology continues to take over, this is something we absolutely have to be mindful of. We have to remember that what we say, no matter what method it's said though, has enormous power. It's easy to say things to people we don't see - to treat them as less of a human being because we're behind a screen rather than face to face. The danger that comes from this mentality that we've all seen spreading is what we've illustrated in this Pearl as the darkness. It's expansive and feels like it's taking over. It's easy to find yourself falling into that attitude of negativity - to complain, compare, put others down and get into a rut. I get it.

The good news is that there's a way to put a crack in that darkness - a crack that lights up everything around it with the beautiful color we long to have back in our lives. When we really recognize the power of our words, we can choose to use them for good. To lift others up rather than put them down - to tell ourselves we're worth it rather than filling our own mind with self-doubt.

Plato once said "Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something."

My hope for this month's Pearl is that it'll help you to remember that what you say has tremendous power, both to others and yourself. Every time you find yourself about to speak (or type) something unkind, hurtful, negative or pessimistic - pause and reflect. How can you turn that around and use your words for good? How can you build up rather than bring down?

Together, we'll light up the world with one simple objective. To say something nice.