Has your girl ever been on the receiving end of some harsh words? Whether from a kid at school or sibling at home, hurtful words cause emotional pain that’s hard to shake.

Praise is fleeting, but insult? That stings longer. Why? Put simply, our bodies are just wired for taking praise and insult differently. Studies show it takes just five minutes for oxytocin, the happy hormone, to leave the human system, while it takes cortisol, the stress hormone, upwards of an hour. Pain stays with us longer than joy.

One way to help your girl kick the negativity is to speak words of truth and affirmation. The greatest truth of all? She is beloved. John 17:26 says it all: “The same love that God has for Jesus is in me.”

Listen to the Raising Godly Girls Minute with Patti Garibay: