My client was getting frustrated.

I knew that the disappointments she had felt in her life had colored how she saw the world. She felt like a victim, limited herself and couldn’t see the potential for good things in her future.

My client would say things like:

• I haven’t been able to stop snacking
• I don’t make enough money
• I haven’t met my life partner
• Good things don’t happen to me

I wanted to bring awareness to how her thoughts and language kept her from living and being her best. So, whenever she said something that projected her past disappointments into the present or future, I gently prompted her to end the sentence with the word, “yet”.

That is what was causing her frustration.

But she began to realize how that one little word opened the door to a sense of hope and potential.

• I haven’t been able to stop snacking – yet
• I don’t make enough money – yet
• I haven’t met my life partner – yet
• Good things don’t happen to me -yet

After practicing using this powerful three letter word and its sister phrase “up until now” between calls and with a little more prompting from me, her mind started to shift. Subtly, over time, her world view evolved and her relationship with herself improved. She was writing a new story for her life.

Have you ever thought about how the words you think and say impact how you feel?

Words can hypnotize you and program your mind. They influence your moods, beliefs and entire life.

So, you might as well choose good ones. Right?

There are many simple words and phrases, like the word “yet” that can make your world feel lighter.  Here are a few you may want to play with.

Powerful Words We Should Use More Often

Yes

I’ve had opportunities in business, travel, love and even to be a disco roller skating extra on the old Charlie’s Angels and CHIPs TV shows. I turned them all down. It is said that when we die it is not the things we did that we regret most, but the ones we let slip by.

Living fully and experiencing life at its best can only happen when you are willing to say yes.

No

Many of us, have lives that are filled with things that are not meaningful or no longer serve us. They drain our physical, mental and emotional energy and keep us distracted from what matters most. You might find yourself over-invested in:

• People
• Projects
• Possessions
• Commitments
• Even your own thoughts and beliefs

When you say no to something that is out of alignment with who you are and what you want now, you create space for things that really matter, like contentment, presence, having the energy to do things well and being able to focus on what is close to oyur heart.

I Love You

I learned the true value of these words the hard way. In my early 20’s I was engaged to a lovely man, but even though I loved him I never said the words out loud. And then, one day he died in an accident while I was at work.

The fact that I never told him I loved him haunted me for years. It was also a great lesson. I know he knew I loved him, just as the people in your life know you love them, but saying the words out loud really matters.

The Truth Is

When we say things that are untrue, life can get a little crazy.

• Communication falls apart
• Trust is lost
• People get hurt
• Bad decisions are made
• More lies will be needed to hide the first

Where this matters most is in your relationship with yourself. How does it feel when you fudge the truth? How are your confidence, self-trust, and life affected?

And, what about the stories and falsehoods you tell yourself that shape what you believe about the world and who you are in it?

When we commit to speaking the truth, we gain clarity for ourselves, trust in our relationships and lives that are built on solid foundations.

Perhaps it’s true that the truth will set you free.

Now what?

Yes, the words you use can impact all areas of your life, sometimes in powerful ways.

I encourage you to become more aware of the ones that are not serving you and change them to ones that will. You might want to try:

• Journaling about how you want to feel and what words would support that.
• Making lists of the words to eliminate and ones to use more often.
• When you are feeling down, journal or think about how you have been talking to yourself and shift away from words that contribute to your low mood.

Changing your language could change your life. Go ahead. Give it a try.

And, if you would like the support of a professional coach with multiple credentials and over 20 years of experience, you can contact me here.  

Related Posts:

Riding the Waves of Our Emotions

Practice Mental Hygiene for a Lifetime of Better Moods

Questions to Ask Yourself When Something or Someone Upsets You