It's so easy to retreat into silence.
When you don't know the right words, when the conversation feels uncomfortable, when you're worried about saying the wrong thing—silence feels safe. But it's a trap.
I've learned this the hard way in relationships, in freelancing, even in faith. Weird, messy, imperfect communication beats silence every time.
The Cost of Waiting
Waiting for the perfect words means never sending that email. Never having that conversation. Never fixing what's broken or building what could be.
In my freelance work, I've seen projects stall because someone was too uncomfortable to say "I don't understand" or "this isn't working." In relationships, I've watched distance grow from small silences that became canyons.
Awkward Seeds
Even awkward attempts at connection are seeds of growth. That clumsy apology? Better than none. That vulnerable admission? More valuable than pretending everything's fine. That honest question? More helpful than nodding along confused.
The conversation might be weird. You might stumble over your words. But you're showing up. You're trying. That matters more than being eloquent.
Choose Awkward Words
So here's the reminder I need: choose awkward words over no words.
Send the messy message. Have the uncomfortable conversation. Admit when you don't know. Ask the question that feels dumb.
Connection lives in the trying, not the perfection.