Let me preface this by saying I am not a doctor – shocker, right? I’m definitely not a psychiatrist, psychologist, or any sort of expert in these types of things. But I have done a lot of reading on the topic of conscious language and have all sorts of thoughts to share. Spoiler Alert: Conscious Language has changed a LOT (for the better) for us.
The mind has thousands of conscious thoughts per day. But it has an excess of 50,000 subconscious thoughts a day. When something pops into your subconscious brain, you have about 30 seconds to change it before it implants and becomes something you actually believe. So if you can change how you think and change what you say, it can actually change the outcome of your day.
Conscious language revolves around the idea that you are constantly positive with yourself and the people around you.
As an example, I could complain every morning about having to wake up early. “Ugh, I’m so tired and I don’t want to get up and go to work.” Or I could get up and say, “I’m a little sleepy, but I am excited to get up to seek my fortune.”
It’s a just a minor change in the thought and words, but it can make a huge difference. As a mom who stays at home with her kids all day, I have the tendency to want to whine about my kids’ behavior, my attitude, and/or my homemaking (or homeschooling) tasks. And to be honest, some days just suck. But you don’t always have the opportunity to change your circumstances. You can, however, absolutely change your attitude!
This is not prosperity gospel, “name it and claim it” kind of stuff. People often think talking to yourself like this is “new age” or some weird thing only crazy people do. Consider this: even the Bible talks about the importance of our thoughts (and words). “Think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy” (Philippians 4:8).
My verse for the year – from Proverbs 23:7: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he“.
The whole fake it until you make it thing has something to it that rings true for all of us. Faking it for a while often just gets us through the times that are hard and when you come out on the other side…it’s all good! Constantly reminding ourselves to have a positive attitude and to consciously use words that are positive instead of negative can make a huge difference.
Here are a few examples of phrases to get rid of because they can lead to negative thoughts:
- “I hope to.”
- “I intend to.”
- “I’m going to try.”
- “I’ll pray about it.”
All of those put off action and positive thinking. Instead, say things like:
- “I am.”
- “I will.”
- “Yes, I can.”
- “I have.”
Think…and Speak…Truth.
Ask yourself some of these questions: What steps do I need to take now to reach a goal I have for the future? What skills are required of me that I don’t currently possess? What step(s) can I take TODAY toward the goals I have? Those are the ways you can turn your thoughts into conscious language.
One thing Barry and I have started doing is using the phrase “cancel, cancel, delete, delete!” If we start down a negative path, the other person will call us out by saying this little phrase. It’s comical now and a good reset for us to keep from being negative. We’ve given each other permission to call the other person out.
How can you apply Conscious Language to your life?
Speak lots of truth and scripture to yourself. Speak life over your friends and family. Change how you think. Turn around your thoughts and put them in a positive light instead of negative. Find the good in every circumstance. You can change things just by changing how you think. And y’all, this has changed my parenting and my marriage for the better!
It’s all about your attitude. I know so many people who are down on themselves. A lot of times you are hard on yourself for no good reason. We are all flawed, messed up people. And the things you think are ultimately the things you say and do. Get rid of the I hope and I might. Believe that you can and you will.
Also remember if you are around overly negative people, it will sometimes transfer and affect you. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: for bad company corrupts good character.” The best advice I can give you…go find a cancel, cancel, delete, delete buddy! Find someone who can help you STOP the negative thoughts and stay on a positive track.
What thoughts or questions do you have about this idea of conscious language?
What a great verse of the year! I’ve never heard of the term “conscious language”, but I’ve actually been working on healing my body from a long chronic illness using a similar concept. After trying to get well for several years (with few results) I realized that I had a sort of brain trauma—my body was stuck in a sympathetic (fight or flight) state. So I’ve been following a program that is helping me to retrain my brain (using neuroplasticity), and much of my daily practice is centered around positive thoughts and words. It sounds kind of crazy, but I’ve been seeing good progress, and I’ve been amazed by how intricately the Lord has created our brains!
I actually started down this path a few years back when I started a fitness challenge with some friends. I happened upon some Zig Ziglar comments and started applying them to my thinking as well as scripture, (not necessarily in that order-haha). I found that the way I began to think about myself changed a lot. Right now , I’m hearing this same idea on a podcast I listen to. Here it is again, from you. God is making it clear to me. Thank you for sharing this.
I have not heard the name “Conscious language” before but have been trying to practice this idea. It really has helped a lot.
My husband and I lost a daughter this year, it’s been rough but, speaking and thinking God’s truths rather than my own feelings and focusing on the good instead of the hard have been life savers for me.
I love this post. Keep up the good work!