By Trisha Fuller
What if… You could change a single word in a sentence, and it inspired others?
What if … Using a different word in your head could motivate you?
What if … Changing one word caused a beneficial reaction in your body?
It can.
Many people fall into the ” what if” structure of thinking. However, they use it to create more problems rather than discover creative solutions.
Judith Simon Prager, PhD, author of Verbal First Aid, states, “It has been demonstrated in the medical literature that every word, every thought, even every intention can cause a measurable bodily reaction.”
This means that our words have an influence. Our words have power deeper than we realize because they become suggestions.
Words can change an outcome, even when they are said in our heads. Your brain responds to words in ways that effect your experience of the world. Words become direct suggestions to the conscious and subconscious mind. Each word evokes an emotional response. Each emotion influences our hormones and internal balance. It becomes essential to choose your words wisely to prevent harm. Changing words can lift others and ourselves.
So, where do you begin?
Changingyour WHAT IFs and Reducing Negatives
“What IF” is such a powerful statement! When used correctly, it can elicit profound changes in our lives. “What ifs” can inspire hope and motivate you to act on your goals.
You see, people often use their WHAT IFs in a negative way.
“What if I don’t get the job.”
“What if I fail the test.”
“What if I can’t handle the stress of this event.”
WHAT IFs are like placing an order at a restaurant. People tell their minds and nervous systems what they want, even though they are stating what they don’t want to occur.
For example, you don’t tell your waitress, “I don’t want pizza.” when you want to order a steak.
Your mind cannot process negatives. Here is an example.
“Don’t think about a dog.”
I guarantee you saw a picture of a dog in your mind, or you thought about a dog and then tried to take the thought back. Just because I said “don’t” doesn’t mean you didn’t think about it.
You must state exactly what you want out loud or in your head. By doing this, you are stating exactly how you want it to go rather than projecting what you don’t want to occur.
Most people try to negate their way to success, such as “I don’t want to smoke” or “I can’t have chocolate.” These statements make you think about something you are trying to eliminate, which, in effect, increases the problem.
Now, reflect momentarily: Think of a time you fixated on negative words.
Have you ever worried about failing a test, and then you failed the test?
Have you thought about food you shouldn’t eat and then ate it?
Have you worried about lack of money, and then you had no money?
What your mind thinks about tends to be realized. Or, more simply, what you think about, you create.
“We always attract into our lives whatever we think about the most, believe in most strongly, expect on the deepest levels, and/or imagine most vividly.”
― Shakti Gawain, Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
You can never eradicate negative language completely. You are human, after all. It is far healthier to acknowledge the negative thought or word and let it go, and then replace the thought with what you want. This is simply thought recognition. Everything you think and imagine is self-suggestion. Make sure what you think and imagine is congruent with what you want.
Change your what-ifs. Flip the script to what you want to happen. Make your statements positive about what you want to do, not what you Don’t want.
