"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Raise your hand if you grew up hearing this phrase. I certainly did and I'm calling B.S. Words CAN hurt because they have energetic power. They have a frequency to their vibration that has the ability to activate emotions within which, in turn, can hurt us. The energy can literally affect the way the cells of the body function and cause illness. If that's not harm I don't know what is.
The words can come from someone else or from your own inner dialogue. Have you ever said or heard someone say "I have anxiety" or "I'm bad at math?" These are blanket statements that can make you feel powerless. I invite you to repeat them to yourself and tap into how they make you feel. Do they make you feel good? Probably not because they both imply this is simply who you are and that change is unlikely.
Let's try a different approach.
Let's rephrase those statements to say "I'm having an anxious thought" or "I'm having a tough time figuring out this math problem." Repeat those statements and notice how you feel. You may still feel uncomfortable, but chances are the intensity is different from the previous example.
Why?
It's because the rephrased statements describe a temporary experience rather than a permanent identity. We all know thoughts come and go so saying "I'm having an anxious thought" instead of "I have anxiety" tells your brain it's not who you are and it will leave as quickly as it came.
The thoughts we think and the words we speak have a powerful effect on our bodies.
When our thoughts or words make us feel sad, angry, fearful, anxious, ashamed, or stressed, our body releases a cascade of hormones designed to help us respond and protect ourselves. While this stress response is helpful in the short term, prolonged exposure to these hormones can damage the body's cells and contribute to long-term health challenges.
On the other hand, when our thoughts and words are encouraging and supportive, our body releases hormones and other chemicals into the bloodstream that nourish our cells and promote both physical and emotional well-being.
Words do have power!
What can you do?
Pay attention to your thoughts and the language you use because they influence how you feel and how you interpret the world around you.
Try viewing your emotions and experiences like waves in the ocean. They roll in, they peak, and they roll back out. No wave stays on the shore forever.
The same is true for our emotions.
When we recognize that an experience or emotion is temporary, it becomes easier to move through it instead of getting stuck in it. We can remind ourselves, "this too shall pass," because it will.
The only constant in life is change.
The key is to learn how to work with change so it becomes something that supports your growth rather than something that holds you back.
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