It’s easy to underestimate the power of words. We use them every day to communicate our thoughts and feelings, but we don’t always stop to think about how they can affect us on a deeper level. Words are more than just sounds that we make with our mouths; they have the ability to shape our reality. That’s why it’s so important to be mindful of the words we speak, both to others and to ourselves.
The Effects of Negative Self-Talk
One of the most harmful things you can do is engage in negative self-talk. This is when you say things like “I’m not good enough,” “I can’t do this,” or “I don’t deserve that.” These types of statements are not only untrue, but they also lead to negative thinking patterns that can hold you back in life.
Negative self-talk can prevent you from taking risks or trying new things, because you’re convince that you’ll fail anyway. It can also impact your relationships, causing you to push people away or stay in unhealthy situations. If you want to change your life for the better, it’s important to break the habit of negative self-talk and start speaking words of life instead.
Words of Life
What are words of life? They are positive statements that build you up instead of tearing you down. They are affirmation that help you believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals. When you speak words of life, it changes the way you see yourself and the world around you.
Some examples of words of life include: “I am enough,” “I am worthy,” “I am loved,” “I am strong,” and “I can do anything I set my mind to.” These are all true statements that will help shift your thinking from negative to positive. When you start speaking words of life, it will change your life for the better in ways that you never thought possible.
If you want to improve your life, it all starts with changing the way you speak to yourself—and that means dumping the negative self-talk and replacing it with positive affirmations instead. Fill your head with words of life like “I am strong,” “I am capable,” and “I am worth it,” and soon enough, those might just become your reality. Give it a try—you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
When you stuff down your emotions, they don't just disappear. In fact, repressing emotions can have a real and tangible impact on your physical health—including an increased risk for migraines.
If you're a 41-year-old mom with a 4-year-old boy, chances are you don't have a lot of time (or energy) to process your feelings. You're juggling work, family, and all the other demands of daily life. So it's no wonder that you might bottle up your emotions instead of dealing with them head-on. But what you may not realize is that those suppressed emotions can come back to haunt you in the form of migraines.
Stress is a common trigger for migraines, and repressed emotions are a major source of stress. When you push down your feelings, they don't just go away. They fester and grow, until they eventually erupt in the form of a migraine.
The Link Between Emotions and Migraines
There's a strong link between our emotions and our physical health. When we're stressed, anxious, or unhappy, our bodies respond accordingly. Our heart rate increases, our muscles tense up, and we produce stress hormones like cortisol.
All of these changes can lead to migraines. In fact, one study found that people who experienced high levels of stress were more than twice as likely to suffer from migraines as those who didn't feel stressed. And it's not just acute stress that can trigger migraines; long-term chronic stress can be just as harmful.
When you repress your emotions, you're essentially putting yourself in a constant state of stress. And that chronic stress can take a serious toll on your health—including an increased risk for migraines.
The Relationship Between Emotions and Physical Health
It's important to understand the link between our emotions and our physical health. Our thoughts and feelings influence our physiology, which in turn affects our overall health. When we're under constant emotional duress, it takes a toll on our bodies—and that can lead to physical problems like migraines.
If you suffer from migraines, there's a good chance that repressed emotions are at least partially to blame. When we stuff down our feelings, they don't just go away—they fester and grow until they eventually erupt in the form of a migraine. If you want to protect your health, it's important to find healthy ways to deal with your emotions instead of bottling them up inside. Talk to a friend, see a therapist, or journal about your feelings—whatever works for you. Just make sure you're taking care of yourself emotionally as well as physically. Your body will thank you for it!
By the way, 15-minute free phone consults available. If I can't help, I'll be able to point you in the right direction.
The other day I went for a walk with my youngest son. He wanted to bring our 3-year-old Corgi dog, Bo, along with us. As we started down our driveway, Bo started darting back and forth, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.
Finally, it dawned on me that a member of our family must have put his shock collar back on without me realizing it. (Just so you know, I love animals and we wouldn't have a shock collar on him if it wasn't necessary to keep him safe...we live very close to a small town and we would be devastated if he got run over). My 9-year-old son was determined to bring Bo with us on a walk, but Bo kept running back to the house and cowering. It wasn't until he had tried several times that I took Bo by his collar, came along side him, and encouraged him across his boundary line, and after that he was happy to come along with us and explore.
This got me to thinking though about how I used to live like I had a shock collar on with debilitating migraines and acute and chronic illnesses I had for over 20 years. They had kept me in such a small place. A place where I would feel such intense pain I would go back to my comforts of pain meds, cold packs, and isolation that I knew would at least give me some minimal relief but staying in this place kept me stuck. It kept me small.
It wasn't until someone came along side me when I was at my darkest point that I was ready to push past my boundary line so I could see what was on the other side of it and find healing for my body, mind, soul and spirit.
Have you hit that point yet? Are you looking for answers in the same old places or are you ready to look outside of that box you're in?
I can't help but think about why people stay in boxes. Is it because we've been programmed to believe a certain way and that is the only way?
All I know is that being in a place of dis-ease, debt, stress, and anxiety is hard, and it was also hard to change my mindset so I could come out of all of that. Pick your hard!! I believe you can do anything you set your mind to. I tell my son to say this when he says he can't do something, "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength."
I believe that you can do hard things, and I would be happy to come alongside you.
For the last month, I have dreaded getting started on a project on my summer to do list. Do you have summer lists either on paper or in your head of all of the projects you would like to get completed? Well, on my list, one of my projects is scraping the peeling paint off my house and repainting it.
Yesterday, was the day. I got out a ladder, searched my basement for the scraper, and I finally got started. Do you find that the hardest part is actually starting the project? Once I get started, I'm good and can't wait to see it completed. Today I was thinking about why it's so hard to get started on a new project or try something new. Is it because when we were children we got in trouble when we made a mess? I don't know about you, but when I was a kid I was not encouraged to make a mess. In fact, some yelling could have been involved.
So today I want you to go back to your earliest memory of making a mess. Is it a good memory or a bad memory? Were your parents mad? How did you feel?
Now this is the most important part, what was the truth in the situation? Could it have been that your parents were tired or overwhelmed or just not in as good frame of mind at the time? Could it be that they were upset with the situation and not actually mad at you?
Today I chose to look at the mess of scraped paint peelings and chips and see it as progress! So whatever mess you are in right now with a project, your health, relationships, and/or finances choose to see it as a learning experience and progress towards the GOOD THINGS to come!
I believe in you!
Do you hate to start a new project or do something new because you just KNOW it’s going to look terrible? We don’t want to look like we’re a mess, we certainly don’t want to be in the middle of a mess, and we certainly don’t want to be in a position where we are uncomfortable, right?
I was pondering this today as I started scraping the peeling paint off the side of my house. Oh my GOSH! My house looks worse. My deck is covered in paint chips. I’m covered in dust, and with the heat today…can I just say YUCK!!
But now that I’ve started, it’s easier to keep going. I’m proud of myself that I haven’t procrastinated until the summer is over. I’ve totally made progress even if it’s just a little. This has been a project I’ve had on my summer list for years…why did it take me so long to even start? Fear! Fear of making a bigger mess, fear of not being able to complete it, fear of not being enough, and let’s be honest, scraping paint is going to make me REALLY uncomfortable, itchy, sore muscles, HOT..do I need to go on?
So how does this relate to stopping patterns of pain in your life? Is what you are currently doing working for you? Are you going to need to step outside your comfort zone?
Life changes when YOU do! When you change the impossible becomes POSSIBLE. This is how I’ve gone from patterns of pain with near-constant migraines and chronic illness to being able to paint my house, we’ve paid off over $400,000 in debt in the last few years, and I’ve gone from feeling stuck in toxic relationships with family to making new amazing friends all over the country!
What is one small step you can make today towards what you want your life to be? Are you overwhelmed and don’t know where to start…I’d be happy to help you!
