The Power of Positive Thinking: 5 Negative Words to Remove from your Vocabulary

Think positive! You are what you think! You have probably heard these sayings at one time or another in your life. The question is, do you practice them? When you choose the path of optimism, of making an effort to see the positive in every situation and expecting positive outcomes, this change in mindset allows you to open your mind to the answers to even the most complex of challenges or problems.

There is no magic silver bullet to gain a positive outlook on life. However, you can take a step in the right direction by eliminating these 5 negative words from your vocabulary.

JUST
We often fail to give ourselves the credit we deserve. We downplay our accomplishments, our skills, even our value by using the word just. I was interviewing a woman who was a daycare provider to gather information for writing her resume. We were talking about her accomplishments. She said she didn’t have any accomplishments, that she was “just” a daycare provider. By thinking of herself in terms of “just” she negated all the positive aspects of what made her great at her job.

TRY
“Do or do not. There is no try.” While I may question Yoda’s syntax in Star Wars, I wholeheartedly agree with his idea. Try is a bad word in my house because it gives an instant excuse for failure. When someone tells me they will try, I instantly assume they will not do it because they are unwilling to commit. Plan for your success and strive for your success – don’t just try.

CAN’T
Henry Ford said “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” There is a big difference between can’t and won’t. Often when you fail, it is the result of not being willing to take the effort or make the sacrifices that are necessary for success. Visualize your success and replace the word can’t with a plan of how you will succeed.

IMPOSSIBLE
Most goals that seem impossible become much more achievable when they are broken down into smaller steps. If you change your thinking, you begin to view problems and obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning. When you deem something impossible, you are stating that you have evaluated and tried all possible options or solutions to a problem.

SOMEDAY
This word carries the same problem as try. If you plan to accomplish your goal “someday”, how will you ever know if you have failed or succeeded? Set a time limit for your goals, give yourself a deadline, and clearly define when you will take steps toward success.