Are You Tuned In To The Power Of Your Own Words?

We live in an information rich world. (Some might say information saturated. In fact sometimes it feels like we’re drowning in words.) We have access at our fingertips to news, information, opinion and advice. Advice left, right and centre on how to work more productively, live more deliciously, grow more effortlessly.

And yet often times we ignore one set of words, of advice, of quietly spoken truths that are laid out before us in black and white, and written just for us: the words we’ve written ourselves.

Because although the apparent purpose of your writing might be to produce material of value to other people, you might be surprised at how often you write something that has the greatest significance not for your readers but for yourself.

It’s like a quiet knock from your unconscious mind, a soft but insistent whisper: this is what you needed to say, to write, to remember. This is the message you needed to hear.

But how do you learn to tune into those words? It’s simple really. Set aside some time to re-read the things you’ve written. It doesn’t matter if that’s articles, blog posts, poems, journals… those soft sweet signals have probably written themselves into your work somewhere. And when you’re reading listen out for:

Words that surprise you with their impact: words you’ve maybe forgotten you’ve written and surprise you with a jolt at the wisdom, intuition or truthfulness they contain

Any physical reactions to what you’re reading: pay attention to signals like hairs going up on your skin, a shiver going down your spine, a prickle of tears at the back of your eyes. These are signals from your unconscious mind that something important is going on.

Powerful one liners: notice any phrases that are the sort you’d normally pull out and keep as a motivational quote… if someone else had written them (and why not you?)

Recurring themes, images, metaphors: your unconscious mind loves to work with metaphors and stories so any recurring themes might be significant. When you step back and review your writing what patterns, images or narrative emerges?

Recognition: that instant sense you get of something being important, significant, surprising and obvious at the same time. Something that seems to have been written just for you.

Re-reading things you’ve written can be a peaceful and rewarding way to spend an afternoon. Listening out for those quiet notes to the self. Tuning in to the power of your own words.

Photo Credit: Transmission Tower by woodleywonderworks on Flickr