21/08/2026
Happy Friday! 💙
Before we rush into the weekend, here’s a little Friday thought for you.
I’m currently reading How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, and something I read in Chapter 1 really made me stop and think.
There was a story about a writer called Richard Harding Davis.
Someone wrote to him and ended their letter with the words, “Dictated but not read.”
The person meant to sound important and busy.
But Davis took it completely differently. He saw it as rude.
And that got me thinking...
How often do we say something with one intention, but the other person receives it completely differently?
You might think you’re helping.
You might think you’re being honest.
You might think you’re giving constructive feedback.
You might even think, “But I’m right!”
Yet the other person might walk away feeling embarrassed, criticised or disrespected.
This was the part of the book I found so interesting.
We communicate with facts, but we also communicate through emotion.
Sometimes people remember how your words made them feel long after they’ve forgotten the actual conversation.
So, before you speak, especially when you’re correcting someone, giving feedback or having a difficult conversation, pause for a moment and ask yourself:
“Am I only thinking about what I want to say, or am I also thinking about how they might receive it?”
You don't have to hide your truth.
You don't have to agree with everyone.
You don't have to avoid difficult conversations.
But learning to communicate with awareness is such a powerful skill.
So, as you head into the weekend, take a moment to think about your words, your conversations and the impact you have on the people around you.
Your words have more impact than you think.
And that’s my Friday thought for today.
Have you ever said something with good intentions, only for someone to receive it completely differently?
