How words can change your mindset

How do the words, the sort of language you use about yourself, change your mindset?

The right use of words, using the right words at the right time in the right situation really does change your mind.

It is the basis of sales training – of training generally – of how we perceive things differently with more knowledge and understanding that gives you that new perspective on problems, solutions or your self.

The power of the mind

Your mind, on you and your environment, your opportunities and options, your well-being or your ‘negative outlook’ on life are greatly influenced by the words we chose to use.

Words have always been really important to me. Spelling, grammar, there is 'the right wording' for everything. Perhaps that came from my admin/secretarial/business background or maybe that’s why I was good at it and enjoyed/enjoy that side of business now.

Language discussions and learning in psychology fascinated me too!

NLP is an extension of that and how we can use it to influence others, support others with techniques and hypnosis, move people into trance to access their unconscious mind to make positive changes.

Your mindset is only influenced by the words that bring the beliefs, the labels for your values (what you live by) and your needs (to be met). These words affect your expectations and whether you are happy, content with who and where you are (with the option to keep moving forward) or disappointed always needing/wanting more than you get.

Your mind is the tool to create your life as you would like it – live it, even!

Your mind is conscious (decision, choice making, rationalising brain) and unconscious (saving energy, time and effort, managing your bodily functions, storing your memories, beliefs, values to work to and dreams to achieve) and this is the most powerful, over-riding the conscious in favour of ‘need to survive’ mode.

So take care of how you speak to yourself and what you hear, because the words you choose are important to what you think, feel and act like. The words your choose will be limited to those words you hear or read, or know. Otherwise you cannot use them!

Hence, there is the ‘right word for the right message’ time, place, person, situation, objective.

Choose yours well.

If you have developed a tendency or learned to use certain words about yourself, to yourself, that you heard from others and that affect you negatively – bring you down, make you doubt yourself and your abilities, make you think and feel less about yourself than you should and need to – then change them!

How do I change how I talk to myself? 

• Write down the words you use to describe yourself. List then down the left of a page. If you don’t know them, try that exercise now! Give five words to describe yourself – your personality, tendencies and not judgements from others!
• On the right hand side of the page, write a more positive word. Ask someone for ideas, research yourself in a dictionary, online, coaching pages and websites perhaps.
• Practice at every opportunity, every day, every hour - mentally, verbally, and written, when meeting new people and old friends and family, those words.
• Challenge those familiar with you when they ‘use the wrong words’ in future. Correct them. Give them your positive wording or ask them to revise them with better words to change their mind about you too!

If people laugh at this, won’t actually change the word and maybe get annoyed at you asking them to (rather than embarrassed at being asked and not realising themselves) then maintain your words and keep ‘correcting them’, politely reminding them of what you want to be seen, heard, known as.

You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you accept and what you refuse.

That goes for yourself, too!