Your Words Have Power

Would you believe me if I told you that words have real power? And not just in the way that words can make you feel, but in the way that words can literally change and shape the world around you. You might not believe it just yet, but I invite you to just be curious about what I’m about to tell you.

I was five years old when my Uncle Jose came to Mexico to visit my family and me. Uncle Jose lived in San Diego, California and we didn’t see him very often. As soon as my uncle laid eyes on me, he said to my father with deep conviction, “I want you to know that this little girl is so smart. She is going to do great things in her life. She’s going to speak English, she’s going to support you, and she’s going to do great things in life! I want to take her to the States so she can live with me and my family.” That is exactly what he said. I, personally, don’t have a vivid memory of that moment since I was so young, but it was something that my dad repeated to me many times over the course of my childhood and adolescence.

Fast forward many years later, I was 16 years old, and I had truly developed the desire to go to the United States to learn English. So when I graduated from high school in Mexico, I went to San Diego to live with my Uncle Jose and his wife. I went to community college and within a year, I had learned English. The decision to learn English in San Diego gave me opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise and I did become a very successful woman. And I do have the privilege of helping to support my mother. Every single thing Uncle Jose said to me came true.

Uncle Jose’s dream for me, that he had spoken out loud on his trip to Mexico all those years ago, had become so imprinted in my mind and subconscious that it became a part of my identity and destiny. Without his words of encouragement and deep belief in me, my life might look very different now. It’s not that Uncle Jose’s words that day were like a magic spell, it’s that his words were so impactful that it became something that I believed about myself on such a deep level that I manifested every part of it. But what would have happened if Uncle Jose’s words, or anyone else’s for that matter, had been negative about me? If those words had been repeated over and over again, it’s hard to say whether I would be in the same place I am now. I honestly don’t think I would be. I am so very grateful that the words that I began to believe about myself as a child were so positive.

So, next time you find yourself repeating something negative about yourself in the mirror or sharing harsh criticism with a loved one, know that those words have power as well. We can use our words to build ourselves and each other up or tear ourselves and each other down. Words have the power to create lasting impact in your life on both an emotional and physical level. Use them wisely.