The words your speak can have a huge impact on your thought process and ultimately your behaviour. Here are a few key words that are often spoken that can have negative connotations; avoid or swap them up for the alternative options to turn them more positive:

·        ‘Just’ – Avoid using the word ‘just’ when you are describing something about yourself. It belittles what you are describing.

·        ‘Can’t do it’ – Shows you are unable to do something and insinuates you will never be able to do it. It is a definitive word. Swap it up for something like ‘I am struggling…’ or better yet, ‘how can I?’

·        Avoid absolute words such as ‘never’, ‘always’, ‘everyone’ – Absolute words are too exaggerated and not real. They leave no room for improvement or innovation.

·        ‘Change’ – Many people struggle with ‘change’ but by simply swapping the word up with a word like ‘evolve’, ‘innovate’, ‘grow’, it can have much more positive connotations, shifting the mindset, and suddenly reducing anxiety and making the task seem more achievable.

·        ‘Must’, ‘should’, ‘have to’  etc. – Words that imply you have no choice can be very disempowering and can increase resentment within us. Swap these words for ‘I want to…’, ‘I choose to…’ as this is far more empowering. We all love choice.

– Coach Terri