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Word Power


I was reading an article the other day that talked about sample interview questions. One of the questions was, “Tell me a time when you made a bad decision. What did you do?” This sparked my interest. Unless our instincts are yelling at us NOT to do something and we do it anyway, we naturally don’t set out to make bad decisions. Given the information we have at the time, we choose what we feel is best option.

The word “decision” was jumping out at me and I wondered what the difference is between “decision” and “choice.” I put on my detective hat to delve deeper into why this was resonating so loudly. Starting first with the actual definitions from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Decision - a determination arrived after consideration.

Choice - an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities.

Quickly realizing the main difference between these words is not in the definition, it’s the power and energy behind them. Just saying the words, you can feel the level of energy. Go ahead and take a minute to say each word out loud. The energy is palpable and you can feel even the slightest shift throughout your four bodies (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual).

Decision is more passive and the energy feels weak. There’s no real drive to it. You’ve determined something. Big deal. Now what? Choice on the other hand has a force. It’s saying that not only have I made a decision on what to do, I’m going to take action and put energy into seeing that decision come to fruition and almost acts as a challenge for anyone who dares to get in your way.

Another great example is “respond” versus “react.”

Respond - to say something in reply

React - respond or react in a particular way to something

In this case, “respond” is the more passive word, yet it’s the more powerful word. There’s a feel of controlled energy and calmness around “respond” that allows you to speak with confidence and makes people want to listen. Complete opposite feel for “react.” Even just saying the word has an angry energy around it and there’s no sense of control. The immediate image that comes to mind is someone flying off the handle and saying whatever comes to mind. Although it is good to speak your mind, you also need to be purposeful with your words to create the desired impact. Being careful with your words will also save you from a lot of hurt and regret as well.

I’ve shared social media posts in the past with the acronym, “W.A.I.T.” which stands for “Why Am I Talking?” which begs the questions:

  • “Am I really contributing something valuable to the conversation?”

  • “Is there an awkward silence and I’m speaking just to fill the void?”

  • “Do I just need to be heard or be the center of attention?”

We all need to “W.A.I.T” at one point or another, whether it be work or personal conversations. Next time you speak with someone, keep “W.A.I.T.” in mind and really observe how your participation changes. How do you feel? More empowered? Did you gain more from the conversation because you were more of an observer? When you did speak, were you responding to the topic at hand or reacting to it?

Words matter and the ones we choose to use to describe ourselves, our goals, and everything else will either create blocks/obstacles, keep us stagnant where we’re at, or propel us forward into action. How many times, especially around the New Year, have you decided you were going to manifest something in particular, only for months to go by and have nothing happen? In order to manifest what you want, you have to choose it, then feel the energy of it resonate throughout all four bodies (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual). If the energy is missing from one of those bodies, then there will be difficulty in manifesting. Where your thoughts go is where the energy will flow. Be focused.

As you set your goals for this New Year, think about what you want, what you need, and the words you’re using to create your action plan. Are they passive or powerful? Don’t be afraid to use strong words. You’ll need their forceful energy to get through the blockages or obstacles that will come up as work to achieve your goals. Those blockages are your old self resisting change and it knows how successful it’s been in the past and will try to do so again. Realizing this will reveal the patterns that need to be broken in order to release the dysfunctional energy and create new patterns that will get you where you want to go.

Enjoy the process as this is just another facet of self-discovery. Have fun with it and allow it bring forth the freedom you’ve been searching for.

Much love,

Ann

If this article resonated with you, please feel free to share it. If you have questions or would like more information, contact Ann at annbordeleau@gmail.com or call or text 603-318-1154 (if calling, please leave a voicemail). You can also follow Ann on Facebook and visit her website: www.annmbordeleau.com

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