A couple years back, a student in one of my kindness classes shared her understanding of the Buddhist protocol known as “Right Speech.”

She learned that the best way to practice “Right Speech” is to ask herself three questions about what she is about to say before saying it:

Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?

The answer to all three questions must be YES or one should remain silent.

This is something I’m working on myself. And I’m expanding it to include email (and text messages and blog posts and…).

Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?