I was reminded a week or so ago about the power of something I hold very dear to my heart. Actually, we should all hold these things dear to us, because they are extremely powerful and used correctly, can move mountains.
Unfortunately, we often use them sloppily and incorrectly, and in some case, we cause a lot of unnecessary damage to ourselves and others.
Yes, I am talking about words. As you know, I am in Seattle. I have taken a job with the State of Washington. I have returned to the days of regular paychecks and benefits and doing some pretty cool work.
This all started last September, almost imperceptibly. As I’ve said, working for yourself isn’t always a panacea. It can mean really long hours, no paid vacations and endless worry about whether enough money will be in your piggybank at any particular time, such as when the rent is due or the IRS comes knocking.
I started to cast about for opportunities, almost on a lark. More important, I started to use different language about my life and how I viewed it. I can thank the Janmeister for this, as well as my friend Josette for my change in thoughts.
You see, I have come to learn, like others, that the language we use about our lives affects the outcome. In many respects, we do dream our lives. While we can’t stop horrible things from happening to us, we can choose how we respond to them. The same is true with opportunity, and in my case, the change in language and the change of the subsequent belief system about my life and me, led me to Seattle.
Here’s what I found about the whole thing. We can influence our lives by what we say. Your brain, and research has confirmed this, can’t tell the difference between negative and positive statements. In other words, your brain simply accepts what you think and what you say as the truth. When you say you’re not beautiful or that you’re stupid, then your brain accepts that as the truth. Not immediately, but if you say it long enough, you internalize it as the reality. Worse, saying it to others about you has the same effect.
So, last September I cut out the negative words I use in my life. I saw how this whole dreaming your life thing was working for Josette. If you don’t know her, you should. She is one of the most amazing people I have met.Like us, she has her share of problems. But she also not only dreams big, but lives big. She is manifesting the most amazing things in her life, all because she is visualizing it through her words and her actions and it seems, the rest of the universe, is following.
When this happens, previously closed doors open. New opportunities suddenly appear out of nowhere and some really amazing things happen.
Now, you can’t just say the words. You have to believe them with all your heart and soul. You have to live them. They have to become part of your very being. Pandering to them doesn’t get you what you want.
And you have to remember that you don’t get exactly what you want in many cases. If you say, “I am going to win the lotto,” you may never win the lotto. But sometimes the universe does deliver just what you ask for. For me, I said to a friend last November, and I really don’t remember this, that I was going to live in Seattle by April.
Somewhere this was internalized. Though I was seeking employment in Florida and Seattle, the doors opened in January to Seattle. Before I knew it, I was being offered a job here and yes, in April, I started my new job, living in Seattle, right on time.
That is very powerful stuff. A week or so ago, I started riding herd on the Janmeister. She is looking for a job. I kept nagging her to use different language. “I am going to have a great job” instead of “I want a great job.” “I will be challenged in my new position” instead of “I want a challenging position.”
Yes, it’s the little changes that serve up big results. What happened? Lasts week she got her first nibble. This week two more interviews. Whether any of these jobs pan out or not is irrelevant. It’s the change in words that have this kind of power.
I have many friends who use their words so poorly. And I see how it affects their lives. There’s nothing I can do to change their stars, only they can. I only wish everyone understood the power of “moving towards what you think about.” You truly do.
And if you think life sucks on a sustained basis, it will. If you think your relationship sucks, it will.
Now for the hard part. It can be damned near impossible to change your words. It is some of the hardest work you will ever do. It takes vigilance and practice. You need to be perfect in it. Every ill word you use can keep you from moving forward, from dreaming a great life for you. Again, your brain doesn’t know the difference. It only acts upon what you think.
Why is this so hard? Because it requires you to own your life. You create it. The world doesn’t do it. You do. The only way you change your stars is to change your way of thinking. More important, you have to get rid of other people in your life who are bringing you down with their words. You can command your words but the words of others, especially those closest to you, can totally bring you down.
I know this is hard work. I’ve been through it. If you want to start on the journey, I recommend you get the Four Agreements. It is pretty powerful stuff, if you open your mind to what is being said in it for one of the agreements is to own your words.
Yes, own your words. They are yours. They come from deep inside you and they affect everything you do in life. Owning them takes a lot of responsibility, because if you use them incorrectly, you only hold yourself back on what you truly deserve and want, and you only have yourself to blame.
I am a poster child of how it works. I only wish I learned the lesson long ago.
In the Emerald City, choosing my words wisely,
– Robb