Have you ever thought about the connotations of the words you use?
Words have an innate power. Words sell and words repel. Words lead and words impede. Words heal and words kill.
When I lived in Portugal and learned to speak Portuguese, the leader or our mission made a rule that we couldn’t use the word “Dificil” which means difficult. Instead he had us use the word “desefiador” which means challenging. At the time I didn’t think much about it but now I realize the genius in it. When things are difficult you feel defeated, but a challenge is something you step up to meet. The connotation of those words changed our mindset.
In my house we don’t say, “I can’t” It’s a simple thing but I don’t want my kids to mentally stop themselves when they have the capacity to do it. I don’t want to allow myself to do that either. So we have removed “I can’t” from our vocabulary.
What connotations are effecting you in a positive or negative way?
What words do you need to take out of your vocabulary?
Words have power.
2 Responses
Be careful what you say. You can say something hurtful in ten seconds, but ten years later, the wounds are still there.
True Words
So true