The Power of Thoughtful Word Choice and Positive Phrasing - Part 2

This is the second part of last week’s article click here to read Part 1.
So, while we’re on the subject, let’s tackle a few more phrases you may want to eliminate from your vocabulary. The first one is simple, and can be summed up by quoting a Jedi Master most of us know, Yoda: “Do, or do not. There is no ‘try.’” What I hear when someone says, “I’m trying to…” or “I’ll try to…” is that they are simply NOT doing or going to… I recommend listening to yourself carefully for a while so you can begin to catch yourself when you say things like “I’m trying to open the peanut butter!” You can turn the statement into “I’m opening the peanut butter,” or “Can you help me open the peanut butter?” Rephrase “I’m trying to be a better listener” to “I’m learning to be a better listener.” Do, or do not. There is no “try.”

Next, how about, “I can’t.” Recently I heard someone say, “Whether you believe you can or you believe you cannot, you’re right!” I recommend always telling yourself that you can, or at least being honest with yourself by saying “I won’t.” Again, let’s look at some common phrases and how we might restructure them to say what we really mean.

• I can’t do this! (I’m learning to be better at this, or I won’t do this)
• I can’t stand so-and-so (I’d rather spend time with someone else)
• I can’t take your disobedience (I won’t tolerate this behavior)
• I can’t wait to see you (I’m so looking forward to seeing you!)

Lastly, beware the “I am” statement. This one has been the trickiest for me. I find myself saying things like “I’m tired,” “I’m hungry,” and “I’m sorry” quite a bit. The trick, here again, it to ask yourself, “What am I really saying? What is it that I want to say?” The Abundant Universe is like a genie in a bottle and will make your statements true. So if you say you are tired, well then you are. If you say you are hungry, well then you are. The phrase “I’m sorry” is used so often, and so casually (and as kids, even falsely, as in “Tell Tommy you’re sorry!”) that it’s really lost the meaning that people want to convey. What someone might hear when you say “I’m sorry” is that you’re a sorry individual. If you look up “sorry” in the dictionary, you’ll see its synonym is “contemptible.” In the grocery store the other night, I heard people saying they were sorry left and right, and for silly accidental things they had no reason to be sorry for. Randall is so funny because he’ll respond right back to someone who says it, “You’re not sorry, you’re just shopping!” My feeling is if it’s just an accident, there’s no need to be sorry or apologize. You can say “excuse me” if you bump into someone accidentally, for instance. Or, simply smile and let it go; it’s probably no big deal. On the other hand, if you’ve truly done something you regret, I recommend taking the time to give your words meaning by saying “I apologize for…” instead of cheapening them with a pitiful “I’m sorry.”

In summary, the words we choose are powerful, and they have vibrational energy just like everything else in the Universe. The words we say and think give attention and energy to people and things. Think about what you’re really saying with the words you use and ask yourself what’s the message you really want to convey? Do you want to be creating positive or negative energy in the Universe? Do you choose to be powerful or weak? Do you want people, and the Universe, to understand what you truly mean? Choose your words wisely; it makes a difference!

Jenny Kupp (soon to be Jenny Skates!)
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