![]() If they were negative I asked him to quickly switch them out for others that were more positive. So, instead of philosophies and platitudes I gave Eugene a simple word replacement exercise and asked him if for the next five days, he could remain aware of the words he was using. Words touch our mood centers they affect our emotions and even our bodies. ![]() This is all to say that words matter on a level that’s more profound than many of us have even considered. ![]() And it’s the meaning of those sounds when they become expressed as words, that matter most. The action of converting sound into meaning takes place in the two well-identified areas of the brain considered vital for human communication, known as the Wernicke's area and Broca's area. Those sounds convey meaning to oneself and others. That tone gets modulated and shaped by the tongue, palate, teeth and lips to form differentiated sounds. They are sounds manufactured by two tiny pieces of muscle tissue rubbing up against each other in the voice box to produce a tone. How, Eugene wondered, could a simple exchange of words help with so deep and complex a problem?Īt their root, words are nothing more than primitive utterances. He was willing, but the idea seemed counterintuitive. What we did talk about was whether he would be willing to explore making a simple change in the way he spoke about his circumstances. When I had a chance to speak with him in the spring of 2017 I didn’t go into complex discussions about self-esteem. The thought of leaving his job and finding another one seemed out of reach. In the whirlpool of negativity that Eugene had created for himself he felt stuck. But even quitting a job requires creativity. ![]() It’s entirely possible that the best solution for Eugene would have been for him to hand in his resignation and look for another job. The more Eugene complained to others, (as well as to himself) the more he had to deal with Marv. Instead of stepping aside and allowing Eugene access to his gratitude for getting his dream job in the first place -or to his innate creativity to innovate his way through his challenges-"Marv" put Eugene on a defensive path. It was a rude wake up call -in other words, one his internal critic, which I call (Marv) - Majorly Afraid of Revealing Vulnerability- couldn’t handle. Not that they were offensive or overly negative they just didn’t jibe with the perfectionist image Eugene had created for himself. Let’s examine what was going on with Eugene and why the very words he was now resorting to were limiting his ability to deal creatively with his work challenges.Įugene, a success-driven young man who had defined himself on the basis of his accomplishments, became sidetracked by his boss’s critiques of his work. ![]()
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