Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash
“Your words make your world.”
The word “Word” has a lot of use in the English language and I find it most meaningful when taken as a “promise” or a “truth”.
My Baptiste Yoga teacher, Paige Elenson says this "Your words make your world.”
“I can’t”
“I’m not good enough”
“I’m not worthy.”
“i’m broken."
“I’m shameful.”
“I’m bad."
These words have been part of my world since young, and they are lies that I’ve believed as truth. The bad news is they will never go away, and the good news is that they will never go away. Period.
As long as they are around, it gives the opportunity to grow and motivates more to live into my real truth - that I’m GOOD ENOUGH.
I’m Good Enough
What I’ve been up, in this journey of being GOOD ENOUGH - is changing my words to something singular, positive and enduring.
A word that gives me strength when I’m at my edge of my comfort zone and the power to leap off. A word that will give me the drive to do what is not “popular” or not what everybody is doing. A word that will help me get out of my head.
A word that I'd be proud to commit to, especially when it’s all about who I want to be for myself and others and what I wish to contribute to the world.
I discovered my Word because of Baptiste Yoga. The methodology gave me access to a new way of being, looking, speaking and listening. And gave me access to new possibilities.
What I want to make happen for the World that does not exist yet is to create a conscious intention within ourselves of how we want to live our life everyday and essentially put into practice values that are important to us, and in doing so, disrupt the mindless drift of our mind.
And that starts with one word.
“The words that you say to yourself matters.”
4 Steps to Discovering your Word
(………….And sticking to it for the year.)
If you are ready to incorporate this powerful practice into your life’s work, here’s how to start.
STEP 1: NAME YOUR VALUES
Think of a word that you associate with yourself. It could be something already have abundance of, or it’s something that someone says about you. Or it’s something missing and/or you want more of. It could be something that was passed on to you by someone you admire, or you made aware of it as you’re growing up or it’s something new you want to embrace as it gives you joy and makes your life meaningful.
This journaling prompts might help:
What are you most passionate about?
What virtue do you want more of in your life?
What’s a goal of yours? For example, you want to be able to do handstands, but have fear, perhaps you could choose a word such as BELIEVE, COURAGE, or IGNITE.
What is a challenge you want to overcome?
What are you struggling with? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you may choose a reminder like BREATHE or LOVE or SELF-CARE.
What brings you joy, energizes you or lights you up?
What makes you angry? (usually indicates your value which has been compromised.)
Think of the last time you felt truly fulfilled and as though the world was at your feet. (eg finishing a marathon. Not what it was that made you feel content - confidence, freedom.)
Just write without judgement nor filter for at least 2 mins.
Do you have 10 words? Write them down clearly
“Your word creates your life. ”
STEP 2: Refine your list
Choosing a word is sometimes it’s not as easy it seems. There’s too many that we find it difficult to choose, or we don’t even know what they are, or how name them.
Brene Brown is a great source of inspiration for me. She created a List of Values, which is from her book “Dare to Lead”. You can download the list here or via her website, and we are going to use it to refine your list.
Her action points:
- Circle as much values as you think that resonates with step 1.
- Pick 2 that you hold most important, that will help you find your way in the dark, that fills you with a sense of purpose
(Note that we only have one set of values that can be applied to all….to me, I tested it by asking by myself in all aspects of my life, will this apply - teaching practice, relationships lif. play around with it. And everyday you ask yourself How can you embody <WORD> today.
You’ll see that your 2 core values are where all the others “circled” can fall under.
“Knowing your values is a bit like having a roadmap to making better choices. ”
STEP 3: DECLARE YOUR WORD
You may have come up with a few words, and that’s ok, but what is the one WORD that is the most important, the priority, to begin working on today? Does this define you? Is this who I am at my best? Is this a filler that I can use to make hard decisions?
It's important to choose ONE first to have an idea of how it feels in your mind and most importantly in your body, and you start to create a new way of being with that one word.
Never underestimate the power of keeping it simple.
Declare out loud “My WORD is ___________!”
“If you have more than 3 priorities, you have no priorities.”
STEP 4: KEEPING YOUR WORD
This word of yours is going to be part of your own set of values to guide you on to how you want to be, live and show up in your life.
Thus, naming or declaring your word is your word is not enough. It’s about practicing your values, not just professing them.
Brene Brown says” Living into our values means we do more than profess our values, we practice them. WE walk our talk - we are clear about what we believe and hold important, and we take care that our intentions, words, thoughts and behaviour align with those belief. If we don’t have a clarity of values, if we don’t have anywhere to look or focus, if we don’t have that light up above us to remind us why we are there, the cynics and the critics can bring us to our knees.”
“Living into our values means we do more than profess our values, we practice them.”
A single word can be very powerful manifestation tool. Know that when you declare your word out - you’re giving a promise to yourself.
And if you practise living by your word, your actions will start to align with your values so it becomes you and will guide you as you move through your day, when you are with people.
It’s not going to be easy to remember your word when you need it the most. You must write it somewhere to remind you of what you are trying to embody this year.
My new way of being is of Love, Courage and Possibilities
I’ve been practising COURAGE for a year now, and it’s been challenging for me to choose courage over comfort or choosing what’s right over what’s easy, fun or fast.
But yesterday I did something amazing - I hesitated a few minutes (because I was trying to talk myself out of it) but I said hi to a teacher after class and asked if the studio had any opening for yoga teachers. *patmyselfontheback
I shared my IVF story.
And I hugged my sisters (which is a BIG thing!)
All I did was ask myself what is one thing I can do today that is scary - and then GO DO IT!
This year, I’m adding a new word into practice - POSSIBILITIES.
Are you ready?
So….. will you give me your word?
Get out a piece of paper and let’s do this! What’s your word?
Declare it in your comments below.