The Power of the Word

It seems like words are undervalued in their power, but I've learned that what you say can matter, especially when it comes to what you say to yourself. While words themselves may not seem very powerful, our use of them is. I say things to myself (internally most of the time) that I would never say to anyone else. My impression is that most people do this. But, when I really began to pay attention to what I was saying to myself, and then began to alter those things to be more compassionate, more patient, more loving, I found that what I'd been saying to myself DID matter.

Apparently, this is why affirmations (*shudder*) work, but I still roll my eyes at them. For me, it is enough to be kind to myself. I find I react well to it, for instance, I remember to do things in a timely fashion more often than I used to.

Pay attention to what you say to yourself and about yourself. It does shape your self-perception and how you relate to the world, and you are probably being harder on yourself than it is useful to be.