Power of Words

I thought it was Connie who started this “word thing,” choosing a word to be a guiding force in your life for 2008, but she’s giving credit to Christine Kane for stimulating her thinking in this direction. Whoever’s idea it was, thanks. It’s a great suggestion and has inspired many.  So far, there are people who have chosen such words as:

Courage

Believe

Love

Perseverance

Faith

Decorum

Serendipity

This morning I’m thinking that what all these words have in common is the power to help us push a little harder, strive a little longer, and aim a little higher to make our lives happier and more effective. Plus, it makes sense to me that if we’re happier, then the people in our lives will be too.

• Let’s have the courage to make that phone call, start that small business, or take that course.
• Let’s believe that we have whatever it takes to make our dreams come true (with a little help from our Creator).
• When the going gets tough (and it will), let’s have the perseverance to keep on keeping on. This sounds a little trite, but there’s often a lot of truth in these platitudes.
• Faith in ourselves and our divine origins will help us believe and achieve. As President Hinckley has said, “Things will work out.” And they will. Let’s have faith.
• Whatever our words, goals, and behavior, we must have love and SHOW it. This seems like a good time to remember the commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself” and remember the “self” part. How can you give love to others when you can’t/don’t feel it for yourself? Let’s show love.
• Decorum is a great word too. Incivility, rudeness, disrespect, and slovenliness have no place in our lives.
• A work friend says her favorite lifelong word is serendipity and believes in finding “treasures without ever looking–anywhere, anytime, and anybody– and truly each day holds hidden treasures and finds—we just have to recognize them when we see them.” Let’s join her in looking for the treasures that abound in our lives.