Physiologically, human beings eat and drink with their mouths.  They use two directions: opening and closing, up and down. These two-way movements are the first step in obtaining nutrition.  When you can control your mouth, it also leads to better health because you are aware of what you eat and what you say.

People express their feelings through their mouths: concerns, needs, evaluate things, criticism and praise, and often use language to vent their dissatisfaction and resentment, hurt others or gossip. The two-way movement of our lips can bring us blessings or disasters.

Talking to yourself is an important part of this two-way movement:

“What do I feel?”

“Why do I feel that way?”

“Why do I talk like that?”

“What is the purpose of my speech?”

“What result can I achieve?”

When we get the answer for ourselves, we understand ourselves and others better.  Using malicious language towards others often shows our own vulnerability.  Gratefulness and offering praise to others truthfully is being honest and humble.  Gossiping causes harm and people who are tolerant and polite avoid talking about others.  If you control the two-direction movement of your mouth, you can plant good seeds to grow in your inner garden which will improve your mental health and increase harmony around you.

When we are feeling down, anxious, depressed, scared, angry, don’t forget to ask ourselves:

“What am I angry, depressed, and scared or worried about?” 

“How do I deal with it?” 

“What do I want?”

When you answer yourself, it may help the clouds disappear and scatter the fog. Training yourself to talk to yourself, to write down your thoughts and feelings and be your own best friend, helps to reduce depression and anxiety.  It will help us to become mentally and physically healthier and bring peace and harmony.

© Copyright Angela Tian Zhu 2018