How words can change your life - FOREVER!

One of the biggest contributors to life success is to control your thoughts. Controlling your thoughts and targeting them to where you want to have them can hugely benefit your life. BUT, pay close attention – Controlling thoughts does not mean to brutally suppress some of the unwanted thoughts. I will get to that later.

For a long time in my life, I was not even aware about what I was thinking throughout the whole day, especially until about 15 years ago when a very special quote came across my life and settled down in my mind.

"Language is the dress of thought"

Back in those days I had no idea who said that and what it does really mean, but it was love at first sight. From that point in time, I started paying more and more attention to the words that come out of my mouth. I started analysing and studying them and slowly they changed automatically. During my time as a leader in corporate environment for 300+ employees my whole day was about communication and coaching. Therefore, I faced endless opportunities of paying attention to thoughts and words of my own and others and my skills in that area had plenty of space to grow and improve. At some point I reached a position where I knew this is the area of life I can really contribute and help people on a higher level than at this moment and so I started coaching individuals in my special way.

Language is powerful. Maybe you also have heard about that quote about “your life is the story you are telling yourself”. This is so darn true. Also you have to keep in mind that nobody is perfect and often times I still find myself telling me stories that are not as empowering or uplifting to my mood and emotions as I wish them to be, but that is totally normal. We all are here on earth to learn, grow and improve each and every day. This is the fascinating part in life, that we are here to explore and capture the magnificent journey of life each day a bit more.

Start being curious about the words that come out of your mouth and learn what your thoughts are telling you. Learn about your ideas and beliefs about yourself, others and life in general. The more you observe the more aware you will become and subsequently the more you can change them.

Okay, I promised you to get back to the important point from the beginning. One thing that is tremendously important at this point, that many of us (myself included for a long time) get wrong is, that if we catch ourselves thinking thoughts we don’t want to have, it is crucial how we are dealing with them. There mainly are two common options. First is usually to realise them, beat yourself up for thinking the thought and change it in a brutal way to a different one. This is the military style and let me tell you it won’t do you any good. The second, more loving and beneficial one is, to notice them, analyse them, honour them and then rephrase them whilst deciding to let go of the emotion.

See, emotions are always the driving force and each emotion does not occur to do us bad. It is there to protect us. It will help and teach us to pay attention to what is going on. If we suppress emotions, they will only get stronger and show up in a different, much more powerful way. But if we honour them and decide to be set free, to let them go and to surrender, our body will realise that there is no threat and we are safe. This will calm our thoughts down and we can think and act way more consciously towards our goals.

Now, I am curious to hear about your personal situation to learn and grow even more today. Which unbeneficial emotions are you facing day in and day out? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great rest of the week,

Wilhelm