Sometimes, it takes the right words to get the right results
By Dr. Matthew Lapp, Columnist, The Times
In previous articles, we’ve discussed the overall concept of wellness and some strategies for developing greater well-being in your life. Some of these concepts may have been hard to grasp.
So this week, I’d like to turn our attention to something that everyone is familiar with–language. More specifically, the way we can use our language to promote feelings of well-being in ourselves and the people around us.
It may seem like an esoteric concept, but if you think about the last time that you had a memorable conversation with someone you care about, you can probably see how the language we use has a profound ability to change our state of mind.
For example, do you remember a time when you were having a bad day until a kind word from a friend turned it around? How about a time when you offered a word of reassurance to a friend or loved one and you noticed the person’s entire demeanor shift? Our words have the ability to uplift us or to bring us down, and for this reason, we should be aware of how we speak to each other and ourselves.
One very interesting area of research into the affects of language has been performed by Japanese scientist Dr. Masaru Emoto since the 1990’s. At that time, Dr. Emoto began using frozen-water crystal photography to explore the quality of water. In the process of doing so, he began to notice that words and affirmations changed the crystaline structures that he was seeing.
For example, he took pictures of water that had been “blessed” and saw beautiful images. He taped words like “love,” “hope,” and “gratitude” to the bottles of water and noticed similar affects. Similarly, he experimented with words like “hate” and “murder” and noticed that the structures broke down or looked much different than the positive words had. In all, his work suggests that because our bodies are comprised of roughly 60% water, such words would also have an affect on our thoughts and feelings. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it sure makes me consider how I talk to people!
In any case, I believe that in order to improve the words we use, we need to become more aware of the thoughts and feelings behind our words. In other words, why do we say what we say? One of my favorite affirmations goes:
I will keep my thoughts positive, because my thoughts become my words.
I will keep my words positive, because my words become my actions.
I will keep my actions positive because my actions become my values.
I will keep my values positive, because my values become my destiny!
According to this statement, the foundation for our destiny is formed by our thought patterns. We speak those thoughts into the world with our words. From there, you can see the chain of events that leads to our life’s outcome. At any point in time, changing our thought patterns and the corresponding words we use can lead to different actions and, ultimately, a completely different life.
It really all boils down to two concepts at opposite ends of the spectrum: love and fear. The language of wellness is comprised of words that come from a place of love. The language of illness comes from a place of fear. When we are fearful–of the unknown, of our circumstances, or of some outside entity that we may not have control over, we often use words that tear ourselves, and those around us, down. On the other hand, when we are understanding, have faith, and express gratitude for the opportunities that lie ahead of us, we speak from a place of love. The more we speak from that place, the greater the possibility of experiencing well-being on a regular basis becomes.
Matthew Lapp, MS, DC is the owner of Salus Chiropractic Studio in Thorndale. For more information, visit him on the web at http://www.thorndalechiropractor.com/.
