Here’s a riddle – What is free, yet can reward you beyond measure or cost you everything you own? The answer? Drumroll please – WORDS. Yes, words have the power to build up or tear down.  Words have the power to start a war or bring peace.  Words can create and define who you are. They can also impact your beliefs, motivation, behavior and yes, your life!

For example, if you say to yourself these four simple words, “I can’t do this.” You will behave much differently than if you would say to yourself, “I can do this.” Notice how your life moves in the direction of the words that you utter to yourself or out loud.  When you say the words, your mind and body will believe you! Words can define who you are and how you live.

That reminds us of a story about a man walking down the street and he came across a drunken man, lying on the sidewalk.  His clothes were dirty and he looked like he had not bathed for days. The person walking by was concerned as to how someone could end up like this. He asked the man, “To what do you owe your fate?” The man answered, “Just look at my father.” The drunken man went on to describe how his father was a falling-down drunk who didn’t work and was abusive to him and his brother.  After the drunken man refused any help, he happened to mention where his brother could be found.

The passerby, touched by the sad story, went to find the brother to see if he needed any help. He found the other brother wearing a tailored suit and sitting in a nice office. The passerby then asked him, “To what do you owe your fate? This brother quickly replied, “Just look at my father!”

We see the power of words. Notice how each of the brothers had endured the same abusive and horrible childhood. However, the drunken brother chose words to tell himself that he couldn’t change and that he would be just like his drunken father. His life ended up that way, succumbing to a negative past and becoming a victim.

The other brother used words to say he was not like his father and that he could live his life differently. He was successful and became a victor over his past circumstances!

Words are powerful and can contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy. So how can people use the power of words to help them get on the positive path to success? Here are a few ways.

First, if the messages you gave yourself or received from others in the past were not good, change them by using powerful, positive words instead.

Positive affirmations can be used to confront negative thinking. This works well for some people because, as we mentioned, the brain and body believe what you say. Sometimes people are direct with their affirmations. An example of a direct affirmation might be, “I am fit and strong”.

Well, some people might think, “I am just lying to myself. I am not fit and strong now at all” What sometimes works better is to say something like, “I’m becoming stronger and more fit each day.” Or “I’m on the path to becoming more fit and strong.”  The important thing is to be nurturing to your body, mind and spirit on the road to any positive change.

Also, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have someone else give you some positive words to motivate you. When I (Lynn) was working on my doctorate it was a long, grueling road. Some days I felt I could hardly do it. Then I would see the note Doug put on the refrigerator that said, “You can do it.”  That was so helpful. And, when I came home after passing my final oral and written exams to get my degree, Doug had changed the sign on the refrigerator to read, “You did it!” What a wonderful surprise!

We’ve spent time talking about the power of words and how what you say to yourself and to others can help or hurt. An Arabian proverb says, “The words of the tongue should have three gatekeepers: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”

What about you? What words are you saying to yourself and to others? Are they true, are they kind and are they necessary? Remember, words are powerful and priceless. So even though words are free, we encourage you to spend them wisely to bring out the best in yourself and others.

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2020 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.