I have finally discovered something I am good at. No, not just good — I’m an expert. I’ve been doing it for years.

Whether attending conferences or cocktail parties, I am very skillful at putting my foot in my mouth. There is an old rhyme that says “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That is not true. Hurtful words can sting, injure, bruise and cause you to lose confidence. Hurtful words hurt.

The expression “put your foot in it” surfaced in Britain in the 1800s and meant that you had

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