People-watching is fun, entertaining and a valuable source of learning. A wise spiritual and life educator taught his students to master three people-watching skills.

• WATCH THE PERSON. The face shows peace or tension, kindness or anger, happiness or sadness, energy, or fatigue. The eyes are lights to the soul. Each part of the body together tells an entire story.
• WATCH WHAT THE PERSON SPEAKS. We build the world with our words. Words matter. Listen to and examine the words. They are a clue to a person’s thoughts. Does the person speak life or death talk?
• WATCH WHAT THE PERSON DOES. The body tells us the truth. Integrity is when what we say matches what we do, or, conversely, what we do matches what we say. Examine where the feet take the person.

Watching people with wisdom begins with first developing the skill of self-watching. Here are four ways to develop your personal self-watching skill.

1. UNDERSTAND what your face, eyes, and body tell each other.
2. BE MINDFUL of your talk life. Eliminate negative statements; develop encouraging speech.
3. MATCH your walk with your speech. Think before you act.
4. FOCUS on your impact, not your intent. Be very careful how you impact others and be quick to repair.

The author of Hebrews inspired us with these words: “Let us consider how we might encourage others to love and good deeds.”

As you inspire yourself to love and good deeds, you will inspire others as well to love and good deeds. Often, these good deeds are more readily caught than taught. Your good deeds will also validate your good words. This is the high road!

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