You may have heard the line from Lao Tzu, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words…..” However did you know that your words also affect your thoughts? In the book, Language, Thought, and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf, he writes, "the structure of a human being's language influences the manner in which he understands reality and behaves with respect to it." Our perceptions of our world are mostly influenced by our word choices. And we all know our perceptions are our reality.

How does the way you use your language influence your view of the world and how you live your life? It is something to consider. Advertisers are very good at using specific words to influence you. Consider how many times you have seen words like, “free,” “exclusive,” “easy,” “limited,” “guaranteed,” or “fast”! Did you notice the word that I used to get you to open and read this email? It was “simple”! If you are reading this, you were influenced by the language choice I used (or you are just enjoying these emails on a regular basis!).

So now, let’s talk about stress. How many times a day do you hear someone say, “I am stressed!”? Maybe you say it! Let’s change how you perceive the world by changing your language.

Tip: Change your language from “I am stressed” to “I am having a stressful experience right now.” It will let your brain know this experience is temporary and you will not identify with the feeling of stress.

Hope this is helpful! Want more? We provide great stress reducing workshops for your business or group. Contact us to schedule!