I have heard it said that the human brain thinks 60,000 thoughts per day on average.  That is a LOT of thinking.  And just how many of those thoughts are we really even aware of?

Among those 60,000 or so thoughts per day are those powerful thoughts that are the words we silently speak to ourselves.

Furthermore, it seems that the thoughts that occur most often are the thoughts that gain enough momentum to become the words that we speak.

The brain is often compared to a computer.  I once heard Shad Helmstetter say that if you could have someone follow you around for 2 weeks and write down every single word you said, and then if you were to take that long list and just narrow it down to the top ten ideas, that those would be the beliefs that were basically the programs you were running on.  Sort of like our own personal operating system.

So, the “self talk” that goes on and on and on in our head each and every waking moment of our life has a very powerful impact on us.

Changing the things we say to ourselves, as well as the words we speak aloud, can be a very big step towards becoming empowered.  Here are a few changes we can make, when we speak to ourselves, and to others.

Shoulds:  Really, there are NO shoulds.  Instead of “I should”, try “I choose to”, “I want to”, or “I desire to”.  Sometimes those shoulds pop up when we actually DON’T want to do a certain thing but are feeling guilty about that choice.   The next time you feel you “should”, ask yourself why you feel that way.  Make an empowered choice.  Do it (or not) because it is what you want, not because you think you should.

Needs:  We all have needs.  Sometimes, though, using the phrase “I need to” feels less than empowering.  I like to say “It’s important to me to” or “I really want to” instead.

Always and Never:  Rarely is anything ever truly always or never.  Try a word that is more realistic, such as Sometimes, Often, or Seldom.

These few slight tweaks in the way we think and speak, to ourselves and to others, can cause a huge shift in the way we feel.  Remember, feelings are produced by thoughts.

Here’s to choosing Empowering Thoughts,

Cindie