I recently had a thought-provoking conversation with a friend who made me aware of the choice of words I use. He pointed out that I use the words “I hope” and “I wished” a lot, which could ultimately keep me from achieving my goals or getting what I want. At first, I was confused. Doesn’t everyone use these words to express hopefulness and desires?

My friend explained that by saying “I wished” we don’t believe in the possibility that we can receive the things we desire, like love or success. When we use the word “hope” we are not confident in our own abilities to achieve our goals or dreams. My friend suggested that I swap “I hope” for “I will” and that I use “I want” instead of “I wished.” 

Our mind is a powerful receptor for the right words (uplifting, inspiring, positive, and encouraging) and the wrong words (negative, discouraging, depressing, and uninspiring). If we feed our mind with the wrong words, confidence in ourselves will diminish and our goals will be as difficult to reach as climbing to the top of Mt. Everest.

After the conversation with my friend I went to one of my favorite places in the world, the coffee shop : ), so I could reflect on what my friend said. Caffeine and a delicious treat definitely helps with self-reflection ; ).

Why are words so powerful?

• Words can Diminish our own Self-worth

Unfortunately, self-worth is not something that we are born with; we have to consciously work on it. Self-worth is often difficult to achieve because we have unrealistic expectations what our ideal self and ideal life should look like. We compare ourselves to other people who seem to have it all figured out while we struggle with self-esteem and confidence. The words we think or say out loud can make us feel less worthy and confident. Feed your mind with uplifting words, which will eventually make you feel worthy of all the things you want and desire.

• Words can Empower us

The right words can empower us, motivate us and make us feel like we are in control of our own life. The wrong words can make us feel like we are victims of outside circumstances.

Here are some empowering words you can use to make yourself feel strong, confident and capable:

• Bold

• Assertive

• Clever

• Courageous

• Adventurous

• Calm

• Determined

• Resilient

• Vivacious

• Words can Inspire

A lot of my blog post topics are inspired by conversations I had with friends/loved ones but also by listening to podcasts/audiobooks. Inspiring words can help us get into a creative state of mind or motivate us to start a new endeavor.

• Words can cause Self-doubt and Self-sabotage

I’m the “Mother of Self-sabotage”. When a great opportunity comes along, but it’s new and challenging, I find plenty of reasons to talk myself out of it. Is it caused by low self-esteem or fear of failure? Probably both! When an exciting opportunity comes along, or you are working on a goal, acknowledge it might be daunting but don’t feed your mind with discouraging words. If you focus more on the journey than the outcome, you’ll find less reasons to sabotage yourself.

• Words can make Depression and Anxiety worse

Unfortunately, anxiety and depression are often intertwined. When one gets worse the other one follows  : (

Using a lot of negative words can fuel mental health problems, while positive words can generate joy and well-being. I struggle with anxiety when life gets overwhelming (pretty much all the time…lol). Here are some of the words I like to think or say out loud to help me feel grounded:

• I’m blessed

• I’m compassionate and kind

• I’m grateful

• I’m lovable

• I’m resilient

• I’m optimistic

• I’m calm

• I’m accepting

• I love myself

• People are more Attracted to you when you use Positive words

 Most of us have the desire to be liked by others. You don’t have to be successful, beautiful or drive a Porsche to be liked by others….well, the Porsche would definitely make life more fun ; )

Nobody likes a Debby Downer! When you speak to people use    words that are uplifting, encouraging, kind, compassionate and positive. People will not only remember how you make them feel like but also the words you use during the conversation.

• Positive words are Self-love

 When you think or speak about yourself use words that are kind and compassionate. Your self-esteem is not just based on how other people perceive you but also how you feel about yourself.

Make a list of all the things you love about yourself. Every time you have self-defeating, self-limiting and belittling thoughts about yourself recall the things that make you love who you are.

Here is my list of the things I love about myself:

• I’m inquisitive

• I’m curious

• I have a good sense of humor

• I’m smart and capable

• I’m adventurous

• I’m a good friend

• I’m caring

• ……well, you get the idea ; )

Let the words you say (and think) be an inspiration to live the life you want, to uplift and encourage other people, to express gratitude for all the blessings in your life, and to manifest the things you desire.

 

“Words are seeds that do more than blow around. They land in our hearts and not the ground. Be careful what you plant and careful what you say. You might have to eat what you planted one day.” (Unknown)

                                                                                

“If we understood the power of our thoughts, we would guard them more closely. If we understood the awesome power of our words, we would prefer silence to almost anything negative. In our thoughts and words, we create our own weaknesses and our own strength. Our limitations and joys begin in our hearts. We can always replace negative with positive.” (Betty Eadie)