When I was a child, my mother advised me always to pay attention to my own words. “One can kill or save another with only one word,” she said. I didn’t get what she meant at that time, but now I do.
The words we use when we communicate with others and with ourselves have power. Words are a form of energy, and their vibration has a high impact on the way we feel and think; they can either empower us or put us down.
Let me give you these examples:
In my coaching practice, I get to hear about small, big or huge problems every single day. Most people come to coaching to “fix” themselves and find solutions to their “problems.”
Just think from this perspective: how would your life be like, if you knew that your only problem was the belief that you had a problem?
Only for a day, stop thinking of your problems. Consider them as “issues” or “topics” for you to deal with, and see what happens.
Can you feel the difference? It feels much lighter, like something you could find a solution to, isn’t it?
Possibilities arise and replace that feeling of being stuck with concerns that you don’t know how to solve.
Since an early age, we’ve got to hear about our shortcomings, limitations, flaws and imperfections.
We’ve been taught to improve ourselves and reach the best versions we could ever be. While we are always learning from mistakes, we also need to get aware of our strengths, gifts, and talents that make us special and unique.
Let me invite you to this exercise: replace the word weakness, which is a reflection of your perceived limitations, by “opportunity for growth.”
Can you see the shift in perception? How do you feel when you know you’re not weak and, instead, what you do is work on your “areas of growth”?
Don’t you feel more empowered, acknowledging the fact that you, like everyone else, are on a learning journey called Life?
Shift Your PerspectiveSay you are currently unemployed. Not a good feeling, right? It often comes along with frustration, sadness, sense of unworthiness and even identity loss. I am inviting you to replace the world unemployed by “job hunting,” “looking for better employment opportunities” or being “in transition to a new career.”
Can you feel how the change in words opens up a space of possibilities, hope, and curiosity for a fresh start?
I hope these examples helped you to get aware of the importance of the words you are using in your daily communication, including your inner talk.
Words can either destroy or build relationships with self and other people. Getting mindful of our self-talk is one of the best forms of self-care. Choose your words wisely.
“Language shapes our behavior and each word we use is imbued with multitudes of personal meaning. The right words spoken in the right way can bring us love, money, and respect, while the wrong words – or even the right words spoken in the wrong way – can lead to a country of war. We must carefully orchestrate our speech if we want to achieve our goals and bring our dreams to fruition.” – Dr. Andrew Newberg, “Words can change your brain”
