I was reminded of this when in response to my yesterday’s post on Deadly Parenting Sins, friend of the list Rod Aparicio said:
Language use [can be detrimental to raising happy kids].
How parents frame their kids because the family, extended family or professionals don’t use the right words.
“He’s a naughty boy.
They get distracted.
She’s mischievous.
They’re shy.
They’re spoilt.”
That frames the kids and their relationships with others as such —when it’s not (in the vast majority of situations) necessarily the case.
If we move beyond parenting, one thing that strikes me is this.
Using negative words makes us start believing them even if they might not be true.
For instance if you say:
I can’t do X because [insert an excuse].
repeatedly,
you will end up believing that excuse and never even try to surmount it.
For example:
I cannot start gardening because I don’t get time. (may be try with weekends or 15 minutes in the morning?)
I cannot find a new job because the market is in recession. (may be you need to try applying to more places, the right fit companies or rework your resume?)
Let me tell you, excuses are nothing but a way to hide (or express) fear.
That’s all for today.
Adios and Happy Speaking!!
