“No man is free who is not master of himself.”  ~ Epictetus

The manner in which you address your spouse and children will have a large impact on your happiness and level of success. I don’t care how high you climb the ladder at work, if things aren’t working at home, then your life’s not working. 

You CANNOT resort to personal attacks, name-calling, or profanity directed at your spouse or children. Excuses like “I have a short fuse”, “I’m stressed”, “I’m tired”, “I was raised that way”, “It’s just part of my culture”, or “They know it doesn’t really mean anything” are all just that – EXCUSES! 

If you want to argue the point then try this experiment. Go to work tomorrow and address your boss with a sharp tone and bad attitude. We’ll see how long you stay employed, much less nab that coveted position. 

How successful will your children be in adult relationships using profanity directed at their loved ones or coworkers? You may be a parent or spouse, but are you a leader, a role model? Your words establish the tone and either set your family up for success and happiness or failure. 

Lincoln once said that the real test of a person’s character was how they acted when they found themselves in a position of power. As a spouse and parent, you’re in a position of power. How you communicate with them and the words you decide to use tell whether you are a person of character.

Excuses are for the weak and losers of the world. As humans living together, there will always be friction and disagreements. None of us enjoy being on the receiving end of aggressive, profanity-laced comments. If you don’t talk like that to your boss then certainly don’t talk like that to your family. Taking this to heart and applying it to your life will produce immediate improvements to your family dynamic and ultimately, to you.

“He who lives without discipline dies without honor.”  ~ Icelandic proverb