The power of words

There is power in words. We all know the power of words to motivate, educate and communicate.

We use words to communicate with each other and also with ourselves.

Our thoughts are formed in words and we have an inner-voice that commentates on what we do and think, and not always in the most positive of ways!

So why not use your words to your advantage?

One way of doing this is to have a few well-chosen words that sum up the essence of what you want to achieve or experience in the year ahead.

These become your words for the year.

The idea is you write them out and place them where you will see them every day. And you regularly repeat them, think about them, look at them and use them, until they’re impressed onto your subconscious and become part of how you think, act and behave.

In short, these words work as shorthand for your aspirations and as affirmation of the way you want to be. They are a reminder of your goals and reinforcement for your intentions.

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice” – T. S. Eliot

Your words for a great year

So what are your 5 words for a great year ahead? Choose between 1 and 5 words to sum up what you what to achieve, experience, be or or have in the year ahead.

Here are 5 suggestions to get you started:

1. Change

If you want this year to be better than last year, then thinking about what you want to change is a great place to start. Will this be a year of change for you and if so what is it you want to change?

It’s no good doing everything the same as you did it last year and probably the year before that, if you want to have a different outcome.

So think about the word change every day. What is it you’re changing this year, what is it you want to do differently? How do you want your year to be different from last year? What is it you want more or less of, what is it you want to improve?

All of these things can be encapsulated in that one little word change – which is why it’s so great to have it as one of your words of the year. Write it out and look at it every day and remind yourself every day what it is you’re changing in your life.

And if you want to have the changeability – the ability to change – you might like to start here.

2. Love

People say money makes the world go round and of course we all need money but what about love? The Beatles sang all you need is love and we know that’s not true either. But the truth lies somewhere in between.

The fact is that love is what makes life great. Love is what motivates us to do things and makes us feel good.  This can be love for your family, your spouse or partner, your colleagues and friends and love for yourself.

By having love as one of your words this year it helps to remind you of the driving force of life and the thing that holds us together as families and as communities.

If you’d like a way of reminding yourself about love or want to open yourself up to more opportunities for love in your life – check out these affirmations for love.

3. Abundance

Abundance is a bit of an old-fashioned word that is also a great word because it captures the essence of so many things. Whatever it is you want more of in your life – the word abundance can capture it all.

Do you want abundance in monetary terms; this is how most people think of the word abundance? It’s a lovely word for it because it gives this beautiful idea of having more than you need. Abundance suggests there is no limit to what you can have.

This is an abundant world we live in with more than enough to go around. There is no limit on money, it’s an energetic exchange of value and a commodity.

So if you want more abundance in your life, if you want money in your life in this coming year, focusing on the idea of abundance is a great way to start thinking positively about what you have and how you can have more of it – what ever that might be.

4. Growth

The word growth encapsulates the notion of learning or developing or getting better at something. It could be a new skill, or the way we want to act, it might be a characteristic we want to develop like being more attentive – or maybe we want to read more because reading and learning is at the root of development of any type.

Maybe you have a business and want to grow your business – so the word growth is great because it can be whatever you want it to be, personal or business related. But as with all your words – as you write it down, as you say it, as you think it, have an idea in your head about what you mean by it otherwise it’s just a vague concept.

5. Thank you

Appreciation, gratitude, thank you – they’re all words which bring us back to the here and now and help us be grounded in our everyday experience. In doing so we become aware of all the amazing, fabulous, wonderful, gorgeous, lovely things in our life that are going well.

Having the words thank you or appreciation or gratitude helps to remind us every day of what we already have and how privileged we are to live in this age, in this time of comfort, luxury and modern medicine.

The Changeability Podcast Episode 24 – CA024

You can hear us talking about all of this and more in episode 24 of the Changeability Podcast, where we also share our own words for the coming year.

Links and resources mentioned in episode 24

• Changeability Podcast Episode 17 – The what, why & how of positive affirmations
• Changeability Podcast Episode 18 – How to make affirmations work
• Changeability Podcast Episode 19 – Affirmations to manage your mind
• Affirmations for Brilliant Living
• Affirmations for Love
• Changeability Podcast Episode 23 – What are you looking forward to?
• Changeability Facebook Group

Thanks for reading or listening

Now let us know what your words of the year will be.

And if you listened to the podcast we would love it if you could take a moment to leave a review on iTunes or Stitcher – we read them all and it might be yours we read out on the show next.