Changing the Mood with Our Words
Our moods are shaped by many factors – external events – the weather, and our health – among other things. Children, especially, can change our mood in an instant. Just think of a child running excitedly into your arms. It can brighten your whole day in an instant. Our colleagues, too, can have a profound affect on our mood, particularly ones who sport a generally optimistic view of life. The happiest people on earth are the ones who are grateful. They see everything, including their own lives, as a gift.
Our own speech also influences how we feel. That is because the spoken word lingers and collects in our memory. Remember when a colleague or your boss complimented you on a particular assignment or task? The next time you approached a similar task or even a new one, you were likely filled with more confidence and enthusiasm. Similarly, after receiving a comment that was not offered in a helpful spirit, we could have felt burdened, resentful or even insecure about our abilities. The impact of one person’s words influences how we feel as well as how we work.
Think of the power we have to change a person’s mood when we genuinely compliment him or her on a job well done, encourage a colleague who is trying to develop fresh skills, or help someone who is taking on new responsibilities. Like so many seemingly ordinary and daily activities, we can view these words and actions as having a sacred quality about them. “Sacred” may seem like an unusual work to use to describe speech. Words are sacred because they change other people, ourselves, and our surroundings. As we speak, we create, perhaps co-create, the world around us. That is an unnerving responsibility. Taking time to reflect on the importance of our words is one more way to recognize our value as individuals, our influence on our colleagues, and the opportunity to be a healing presence to our patients.
Taken from the book “Healing with Heart” by Martin Helldorfer and Terri Moss