I saw a post the other day from one of my team members talking about using positive words.  I’m pretty good at turning a phrase and I try to be as careful as I can with the language I use because I believe in the power of words.  In the post, the person talked about using positive words for challenges and get them out of our minds and into a reality where they are workable.  He suggested to write them down and work on a tangible way to solve the issue.  This applies especially if we are easily stressed or overwhelmed—and we tend to get easily stressed and overwhelmed when we carry it in our heads.  There’s two pieces to this: 1. The language we use with ourselves is important and 2. Seeing the issue written down allows us to see it in a different way.  90% of how we solve a problem is how we view the problem-and if we even consider it a problem.  Often we build up the issue in our heads more than what it is in reality.    

I am the first to admit that this takes work.  My brain moves so fast and so many of my old habits and emotions and responses are so engrained that they still come out before I make a conscious choice to believe/think/feel something different.  But when we allow that to continue to happen, we disempower ourselves because we become reactive rather than proactive or even responsive.  Being responsive requires a more methodical and thought out approach.  We can teach ourselves to use more empowering words—opportunity, allow us to grow.  I used to be afraid that once a thought happened it was destined, I couldn’t change it—that’s a lot of pressure for a thought, believing that everything we think will come true somehow.  But it isn’t true.  We are meant to manage our thoughts and minds and the beautiful part is that we are allowed to change our minds any time. 

A good way to stop these thoughts when they happen is to immediately write them down and determine if there is anything that can be done in the moment.  That also allows us to create a plan of action like I mentioned above.  Honestly sometimes literally seeing an issue in a different medium (written down instead of just thought) gives us a new perspective in itself.  It’s also empowering because we are creating actionable items and any action we take creates momentum.  It’s all about reframing and mindset.  We create our own opportunity with how we interpret a situation and how we talk to ourselves about it.  Keep speaking about challenges as opportunities and soon the opportunity will reveal itself.