Throughout the day, one of my classmates decided to play a little mind game with a girl, let’s call her X. As soon as she walked into the class, he casually remarked, “You’re looking a bit off today, is everything okay?”

Initially, X brushed it off, assuring him that she was perfectly fine. But as the day progressed, he kept questioning her, subtly planting the seed of doubt in her mind. “Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look like it.”

With each repetition of the question, X’s demeanor shifted. She began to overanalyze her emotions, trying harder to appear happy even though she was initially feeling neutral. But the persistent inquiries chipped away at her composure.

As the day wore on, X found herself feeling increasingly downcast, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong. By the end of the day, she was in tears, overwhelmed by emotions that had been stirred up by the constant questioning.

It wasn’t that X was sad from the start. The guy’s psychological trick had successfully manipulated her perception of her own emotions. By repeatedly suggesting that something was amiss, he had unwittingly pushed her into a downward spiral of introspection and sadness.

This experience served as a stark reminder of the power of words and the influence they can have on our emotions. Just as negative remarks can sow seeds of doubt and despair, positive affirmations have the potential to uplift and inspire. It’s a testament to the delicate balance between perception and reality, and the profound impact that our words can have on others.