The lady who says she was told she was too loud, that she should be less herself. So many of these hit our empathy hearts…but that one got mine. I’ve written about being told to be less loud, bold, dorky before, here, with the quote that got me out of it.

Strangers replying to being asked “What’s the most painful thing you’ve been told?”
byu/Mad_Season_1994 inDamnthatsinteresting

Three powerful reddit comments:

The axe forgets but the tree remembers.

Most of the people who said these awful things have more than likely already forgotten they’ve even said them, while for the people on the other end it still lives in their minds.

We should all take a moment to remember to think before we speak or write.

Is it necessary to say it? Is it kind to say it? No? Then don’t.

Especially if it’s your child.

Signed, someone who’s most painful thing I’ve been told was also from my mother.

Easier said than done. It’s ideal to think before speak but such platitudes only works for robots not emotional beings such as humans. The best way imo is to recognize you made a mistake and apologize for it.

I remember going along with some of my friends in bullying a few kids in my class when I was young. It still kind of haunts me to think about some of the shit I said to others just to impress the “cool kids”.