Words that Shape Worlds

This week I am in South Carolina presenting on Resilience at the Association for Christians in Student Development. It is so inspiring how many folks are engaged in this important conversation around fostering environments and learning skills to empower college students to be more resilient.

One of the keynote speakers at the ACSD conference made a statement that got me thinking about the way that our words can shape realities. The words we believe about ourselves have a transformative impact on everything in and around us.

Hosanna Wong reminded us that the names that other people use for us, the terms other people speak over us, the language others use towards us has power.

But only if we allow it to…

We were invited to reconsider the names we choose. The language we accept. The terms we demand. When we know who we are, we stop having our power taken AND we stop giving it away.

What are the words that you have accepted about yourself that you can reclaim, reframe, or replace?

Today I reclaim that I am enough. I reframe that perfection is not the goal. I replace my tendency to fight the wrong battle with living in my strengths, my purpose, and with joy.