From time to time we all spew words from our mouth that we wish had stayed in there. It’s part of the joy of life to “put our foot in it” now and again. It’s at times like this you realise that words have power.
You’ve probably heard the famous quote: words have power use them wisely. It’s not known who said that, but yes they do have power and the way we use them can make a big difference to our life.
It’s not only our own life that can be affected by our words, but other people’s too. When you really think about it, it’s incredible the impact your words can have on the world around us.
Considering Words Have Power
We know that using positive words is the better option, but it might not always feel appropriate. If someone annoys us, it’s more likely we’ll react with negative rather than positive words. That’s reactionary and understandable, but those words can have a lasting effect.
Sigmund Freud said: “Words have magical power. They can either bring the greatest happiness or the deepest despair.” This is why we should try to use them carefully. Not only to other people, but to our self too.
A 2013 study concluded that words can play a powerful role in what we see. It suggests that words can influence our perception of things. There really is a force behind words and how we use them.
Making the Power of Words Work for Us
So yes, words have power, which means we have to use them wisely. Our words come from our thoughts, so by choosing our words more carefully, perhaps we can change our thoughts. If we do that, there’s bound to be a change in our world.
We get to choose our words, positive or negative. When we have thoughts, our conscious mind needs to be alert, so we’re able to break the chain by replacing negative words with positive ones.
Continually monitoring our self isn’t easy, but it’s something that needs to be done. The words you use will have an effect on how you think and feel, so it’s worth doing the difficult task of monitoring. You have the control if you want it, so take it.
3 Examples of Words to Replace
You can probably come up with a long list of words to replace with the opposite, in order to have a positive effect. Among them are 3 very important ones:
Hope
It’s no good hoping you can do something. What you’re really saying is, I’d like to do x, but I don’t think I can. It’s reducing the action or outcome to a “wish”, which weakens the possibility of achieving it.
Instead, if you replace “hope” with “know”, it’s a whole different ballgame. If you say, “I hope I can get to sleep tonight”, you’ll probably be awake half the night. On the other hand, if you say, “I know I’ll sleep well tonight”, there’s a much greater chance that you will.
Need
The word “need” isn’t particularly negative in itself, but if you really “need” something, you’re affirming a lack. By saying, “I really need to find some extra cash”, you’re focusing on the fact you have a lack of cash.
If your focus is on something you don’t have, that’s what the subconscious will go ahead and work on delivering to you – more lack. Replace “need” with “am”. By saying, “I am finding extra cash”, you’re shifting the focus to a different level.
Can’t
This is probably the biggest of all of them. The word “can’t” is an extremely powerful one. It’s a word of failure, of no hope and defeat. If you say that you can’t do this or can’t do that, you know what? You never will. Don’t bother even trying because you’ve failed already.
By changing “can’t” to “can” is literally taking off one letter from the word, but it’s making a dramatic change. Where failure was certain, it no longer is. You are able to approach the task in a completely different way with a different attitude and chances are, with a better result.
Is it Really That Simple?
Well yes, it’s simple to change words, but of course things won’t change in an instant. It would be foolish to suggest that they will. What you’re doing is taking control of your words to start to influence your thoughts and actions.
It’s all about creating new patterns of thought. If you think it (positive thoughts) in the conscious mind, it sends that message to the subconscious mind. It may go against previous thoughts, so repetition is important.
Once the subconscious begins to get the message imprinted, it will change what it delivers to you. This is when the shift in you happens, it won’t be overnight, but persist and it will slowly happen. Words have power, so make sure you keep them in check and use them wisely. They can be a tool for what you want to bring about and to change your world.