Words form the thread on which we string our experiences – Aldous Huxley
Our words are basically a reflection of how we think, feel and experience life; they are a representation of how we interpret the world and our place within it.
Have you noticed that people who are positive and happy usually use buoyant, upbeat words? This premise sounds simple – and it is. If you use shortcuts to describe how you feel and think, you’re short-changing yourself emotionally. If you want to live a fuller and more expansive life, just start to change one thing … and what could be more basic than the building blocks of communication – words.
Whilst we may give a lot of attention to what other people say to us, we often pay little attention to what we’re saying to ourselves – i.e. our self-talk. Positive people, generally, not only speak to others in an upbeat manner, but also to themselves.
The words we attach to our experience become our experience
Words are our chief means for interpreting a situation; and how we label our experience immediately changes the sensations produced in our nervous system. Words create neural connections in the brain, which are secured in the nervous system. That’s why when someone calls you a four-letter word, you may become tense or embarrassed, as opposed to when someone calls you a sweetheart or a champion.
You experience the exact same effect when you speak unkindly to and about yourself.
The English language contains at least 500,000 words and it has been estimated that the average person’s working vocabulary comprises between 2,000 and 10,000 words – so why wait? Take up the challenge now and start to use different words to describe your life … then see what happens!!!
For the next few days, become aware of your self-talk and the way in which others refer to themselves. Any time you hear a negative expression, stop and reflect, and make a point to go back and change it to a positive one.
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