I Create As I Speak

I Create As I Speak

The words we use carry great power. When we speak about something, it can help to inform, influence, and mold our minds. While this can be seen quite easily when talking with others, the words we speak to ourselves, when we are away from social media, work, school, or friends, can have a significant influence on how we see and treat ourselves.

During the past few years, we have been reminded of the power our words have on a larger scale. Words matter. What we say matters. How we say it matters too. When we mock others, we put more negativity out into the universe. Same when we mock ourselves or knock ourselves down. Friends like depression and anxiety LOVE to speak ill of ourselves. The more we hear about how great or horrible something (or someone) is, the more likely we are to adopt similar views to the ones being shared on a variety of social media sites.

Words themselves may not wield much power, but the meanings and perceptions we have attributed to these words is where the danger or gift can be found. When we attribute negative words about ourselves, we are literally shaping our beliefs, behavior, and, in essence, our community and society as a whole. The power our words have stems from how we feel and the emotional response rendered when we hear, speak, read, or internally critique ourselves.

When we keep repeating negative words, we strengthen the influence these words have over us. The more we hear or use negative words, the more the power they have over our lives. The key is in repetition. While we may not remember when everyone’s birthday is (or why there’s a remote control in the refrigerator...thank you brainfog), but you will most likely remember your multiplication tables. Why? Repetition. As kids, many of us had to memorize our multiplication tables. Drill after drill after drill. Our brain encodes pathways and has a tendency to believe repetition as truth, which, in turn, can help us to make sense of our environment. This repetition can also be our friend, rather than our foe.
If we substitute positive for the negative thought patterns and remove them from our vocabulary when speaking to others, we can imprint upon our minds the positive, rather than rehashing and repeating the negative ones. Let us return the power to our words. The words that we throw around without thinking about the potential damage we could be inflicting upon ourselves and society as a whole. This includes putting the kibosh on name calling, self-criticism (ruminating), self-deprecating, and gossip. Replace these behaviors with positive words when speaking with others, as well as ourselves. What we are exposed to on a frequent or regular basis can have the ability to change the world, for better or worse. Through using words in a consciously aware manner, we can rein in our power to shift the energy the flourishes in our lives.