CMU School of Drama


Monday, March 11, 2013

7 Things Not to Say, and 7 Things to Start Saying

Lifehack: Are you aware just how much impact the words you use on a daily basis have on your mood and your life in general?

Have you noticed the type of language you use? Not just verbally, but within your inner thoughts as well?

Language is a very powerful tool when it comes to mood control—both for ourselves and for those around us. It really can make the difference between a happy day and a stressful day, and below, I’ll give you some examples at to why this is.

As with many things, the first step is awareness; most people are blissfully unaware of how they speak, both internally and externally, so make a start by paying extra attention to what you’re saying both mentally, and aloud. Consider whether you’re using positive language or negative language. Are you really aware of exactly what you’re saying and how you’re phrasing your words?

I’ve spent some time studying quantum linguistics, and there are a few common phrases that people use without realising just how negative they are. And when we think negatively, guess what? The negative thoughts spiral into negative actions, which then tun into real-life situations and problems. If we can nip those negative thoughts in the bud, we can save ourselves a whole lot of pain in the long run.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I found this article a great way to look about going into second quarter. I think all of these "things to say" are great and I will(see used one) say these in the future. I recently watched a documentary on the health of the nation, obesity, etc. the documentary related the high failure of diets due to the fact that people used the phrase, "I can't eat that I'm on a diet" to the leading cause of failures on diets. The phrase that people should say is, " I can eat that but I'm not going to." This simple change in the phrase creates an entire shift from negative to positive. These phrases work the same way.

Unknown said...

This article definitely reminds me of some of the meta-skills classes we've had with Joe Pino. Using positive language leads to a more positive attitude, which can lead to a more productive and happier lifestyle. I really will make an effort to take notice of the way I think about things, and try to see more things in a positive light. I particularly like the one about not saying "try," as it only implies that there's a high probability of failure.

Jason Lewis said...

This seems pretty straight forward and redundant. However, the sad thing is that most people don't remember these things. Saying negative things without realizing it can change someone's view of you. It reminds me of how pointing out your flaws like saying "I wanted to put this in my project but I couldn't do it because of time or what not" can really make someone think differently about your projects because it shows that even though you enjoy it, you wanted it to be better. It's the little things that count.