Like it or not, problems, or challenges, are a recurring part of everyday life. Whether you choose to call them challenges, as I do, or problems, certainly doesn’t change the fact that they happen. However, it does change the way we respond to them and that little shift can make a huge difference in our outlook!
Subconsciously, the word problem says, “There’s something wrong here.” Our mind hears, “This isn’t right, life is not as it should be.” How does this perception affect us? It causes our energy to be funneled toward repairing something that’s gone wrong. Not a very empowering state of mind.
On the other hand, the word challenge sends no such mental message. Instead of trying to repair a malfunction, challenges encourage us to recruit our inner resources and to view the situation as a new opportunity. This is a very empowering state of mind.
Words send signals to our brain
It’s not uncommon to use the words problems and challenges interchangeably, but the fact is, they send entirely different messages to our brains. One message represents a struggle just to regain the status quo. It means that we have somehow lost ground and now we must struggle just to get back to where we were.
The other, more empowering choice, tells our minds that everything is great. So great in fact, that we are ready to take on something new. To our subconscious mind, challenges are represented as opportunities. We see them as a way to move up to the next level. It’s our chance to demonstrate what we’re made of.
That is why learning to use the word challenges instead of problems has such a positive effect on our outlook. It’s the difference between our day being plagued with problems or full of opportunities? Are we struggling just to maintain, or are we ready to accept the challenge and take it to the next level?
Take empowering words for a Problems run
Changing the words we use changes our perception of life, but please, don’t take my word for it. Instead, why not try it out for yourself? Simply replace the word problems in your vocabulary with the word challenges and see what happens?
This is such a simple way to ramp up the quality of your life. Why not try it for a week and let me know how it works for you? Improving the quality of your life doesn’t need to be complicated. Many of the most powerful life skills you will ever learn are as simple as exchanging one word for another.
Of course, it doesn’t really matter how simple they are if we don’t use them. And therein lies the real secret of personal growth. Nothing happens unless we actually apply what we learn. The power of any skill or strategy is in the application. If we make it a habit to consistently incorporate the things we learn, even the simplest of life skills will have a profound effect on our life.
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