Blog | Entrepreneurship, Personal development

I Am

Do your words heal or hurt? Discover tips on how to choose your words wisely.

Words are power.

They can support or destroy. They are not only meant to communicate but also impact us in ways we rarely consider, our physical health, for instance.

Many years ago, Lisa and I were working on our Journey Healing Centers and Lisa said, “I’m tired.”

It occurred to me that she had been saying that a lot, and so I told her so. After all, we were both tired. We had been exhaustively working on building our business for years. But on that day it hit me that it seemed as if her saying it so often actually made her more tired. And it wasn’t just me, she thought about it for a second and realized it for herself. In fact, she even admitted that it was for no reason.

Why do people do that? What good does it do? Are we simply looking for sympathy? Does it relieve us of our tiredness? Of course not.

She made a conscious decision to stop saying those two words, right then and there. In the days and weeks after, her seemingly unending exhaustion began to evaporate.

Not only that, but she also vowed to stop announcing to both the world and herself when her migraine headaches would attack. This was a big deal, too. She had been a migraine sufferer most of her life. Before long, she noticed her headaches were getting further and further apart. Now, she rarely has them.

Words matter.

And it’s not only Lisa who had this realization.

“Hello, my name is…”

After successfully completing rehab, fighting my addiction became an opponent I fought daily. Fortunately for myself and my family, it was a battle I had been winning.

While attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, I would often hear someone with 20 years of sobriety begin their personal battles with, “Hello, my name is _____ and I’m an alcoholic.”

Not many phrases contain the power saying “I am.” It a statement of complete presence.

As they say, the words are made flesh. For the recovering alcoholic, that phrase keeps them in that state of mind. It is their truth, that one's body may be alcoholic, but their spirit, the I am… is not.

Does your word choice heal or hurt?

Words can heal or hurt. What you choose to say shapes your beliefs and your future. As our fellow Rich Dad Advisor, Blair Singer, discussed in his blog post “Your Thoughts Become Your Destiny,”:

“Your destiny, who you ultimately become, begins with the thoughts that you choose to verbalize with words.

The key to everything you’re destined to become all starts with the little voice you listen to.”

As Lisa and I began to change our language, our thinking began to change too.

As social entrepreneurs, do you find yourself saying, “I can’t do this.” Or, are you asking, “How can I do this?”

This is your fight. You chose your fight for a reason.

If you’re struggling to identify and successfully plan your fight, here are a few tips:

1. Write down what makes you upset. What was the reason you took on your fight in social entrepreneurship. Keep digging.

2. What words did you use? Do those words give you energy or take energy away?

If would like to learn more about our fight, check us out at WarriorsHeart.com. If you’re interested in learning more about social entrepreneurship, grab a copy of our book The Social Capitalist.