Use Physiology and Language to Create Your Present and Future
How Our Thoughts & Words Become our Habits & Identity
No person or circumstance can gift you or I peace, confidence, optimism, personal power, or self-efficacy. These attributes are the result of our choices and come from within. If we want things to be better, we have to act. If we want things to change, we have to change.
Responsibility and Positive Action Are Key
The way to change our lives for the better is two-fold. We can change our stories by:
- Taking responsibility; and
- Making substantive changes regardless of obstacles and critics.
Real change requires that we decide and act. Lasting change requires that we proceed like our lives depend on taking responsibility for ourselves and our positive growth. Start pursuing the compelling future you envision by making select, accessible, substantive changes.
Over the course of the week we’ll investigate ten accessible actions that anyone can accomplish — ten to-do’s that will help us own our mindset, physical health, relationships, career path, peace, mission, and purpose. The changes outlined will move us from bystanders to people who do.
In previous articles, we discussed Innovation 1 and we discussed Innovation 2. In this article we’ll address Innovations 3, 4, and 5 which form a powerful physiology-mindset-language triad.
Innovations for Energy, Clarity, & Confidence
Innovation 3: Stand Tall.
3. We can directly influence our emotional state through our posture, and movement. Why? Because the way we move and take up space determines how we feel. Become aware of your physiology. Change your emotional state for the better by standing tall, by moving with energy, and by entering a room with assurance. Make standing tall and moving with energy a habit.
Stand tall is about changing our emotional state for the better. Stand tall is also about tuning in to the beautiful, physical you.
Innovation 4: Mind your thoughts.
4. Our thoughts are powerful drivers that shape perception, action, language, and identity. The way we frame people and events is hugely important. When we focus on excuses, lack, and limiting beliefs, we empower them. The great news is, we can harness and use the enormous power of our thoughts for achievement and good. How so?
- Focus on the positive. This is not about being a blind optimist. It’s about being active and smart regarding our attention and mindset.
- Choose gratitude and appreciation over tiresome criticism. Why? Because when your mind is in a grateful state, you can’t be worried, fearful, or angry. Most people want to progress, achieve, and care for others, but they get stuck in being fearful and angry. Let fear and anger go by defaulting to gratitude for all that’s good.
- Find the upside or lesson when something doesn’t work out, and avoid blowing negatives out of proportion.
- Replace negative self-talk with language that you would use with a friend. Pay particular attention to replacing negative self-talk. When damaging self-talk gets started, label, release, and replace negative language with loving, supportive, nourishing words. Treat yourself with warmth and kindness. It’s of paramount importance that you do. Remember that everyone has a past. You are not your past unless you live there. Tap into your good heart and potential. Tap into your best self, and instead of asking how long something will take you, ask how far you can go. Stand for something, unapologetically take positive action, cultivate your character, and remember who you are.
Mind your thoughts is about harnessing the immense power of focus and perception.
Innovation 5: Watch your words
5. Our words become our actions. Our actions become our habits, and our habits become our identity. The language and routines to which we subscribe telegraph who we are, what we value, and what makes us tick. Our language and actions also largely determine how we are received in the world and the difference we make. Do we lift people and causes up? Do we complain and criticize? Are we tired naysayers or enthusiastic community-builders? Our mindset, habits and identity all start with what we say and with how we say it. Take care to use thoughtful, assuring speech as a matter of course. Make potential-focused language your default mode of thinking and speaking.
Watch your words is about framing, perception, focus, and mindset.
Watch your words is also about the lifting power of a well-chosen, welcome remark. So many people feel alone. So many people despair and suffer for lack of an encouraging word. A kind word of appreciation costs nothing, helps the giver and the receiver, and can change everything.
Summary of Innovations 1 through 5
- Innovation 1 is Greet the morning.
- Innovation 2 is Drink cold water.
- Innovation 3 is Stand tall.
- Innovation 4 is Mind your thoughts.
- Innovation 5 is Watch your Words.
Moving through out days from a disposition of welcome and peace benefits our emotional health. Drinking cold water before consuming anything else lifts mood, mindset, and our physical selves. Paying attention to how we use energy, how we move, where we focus our attention, and how we speak forms a proven and powerful physiology-focus-language triad we can use in our pursuit of positive change.
Take a few moments throughout each day for breath, and gratitude. Be mindful of your physical self, your thoughts, and your words. Be grateful for all the good there is, and don’t forget the importance of connecting with others with sincerity and kindness. With these changes, we’re on our way to clarity, self-efficacy, and a compelling present and future.
