The Power of Words

I don’t think we realize the power of words and what they can do to us during our lives. We need to be conscious of what we say and how we say it. I don’t mean that you have to be repressed or scared about what you say, but we do need to express ourselves in the right way. Words can empower us, defeat us, hurt us and comfort us. Are you aware of what you say and what you write?

I wrote a blog entry for Valentine’s Day on the topic of love, life and the pursuit of happiness. In the posting, I described in detail things that make us happy, and included a kiss and a dance, amongst other things. I wanted to create a visual and I think I succeeded. The response to this post was interesting. People in the office couldn’t help but blush. And although they appreciated the passion, they advised me to modify the sentence to be less descriptive. It was meant for a reaction, a feeling—and it worked. I showed the paragraph to people outside of work and the reaction was very different. Yes, they blushed, but they were also interested in discussing the post, how they viewed love and happiness. My controversial words created a discussion, a positive remembering of what made them smile.

When you are angry, you know the words that can hurt those around you, a loved one or a friend. We know how to dig into their ribs with a sharp response. We also know what to say when a close friend is in trouble—a virtual hug is universal. An emoticon cannot do what a written sentence or a conversation on the phone or an in-person caring response can do. Words are important and can soothe the pain that life can bring. A word can get you close to someone you care about or initiate a first date with a person you like. Even the lack of words can show your feelings; when you are tongue tied or awestruck, you are showing emotion.

Our own words, our thoughts can be a barrier to what we do in life. Those little negative words that we tell ourselves can be very damaging, and when we repeat them over and over, they can be debilitating. What an angry adult might have told us when we were children can continually disrupt our chances to succeed. What a child does to interpret the world around them can be harmful if they do not look past it to their adult reality. You can make a major difference in your life by repeating the positive and removing those destructive words.

I know that a positive outlook can change the way you look at the world. I have had challenges in my life, but I ultimately have a positive view of what I am doing and how I do it. I do not do everything right or feel good about everything that happens. I get angry, sad and I definitely don’t have it all figured out. I am very human. But I have learned how to pick myself up each morning and start the day fresh with a positive idea of what I need to do. I know that humour and a friendly smile accompanied by a funny phrase and a strong affirmation will help those I meet through their day, which, in turn, makes my day better.

Words can make you blush, make you sad, make you sorry, make you happy, make you strong, and—if you use them correctly—they can set you free.