When Words Get in the Way

I used to be a very goal-oriented, achievement-first sort of person…and in a way that came at a high cost to my living a balanced life.

A few years back, that pendulum swung hard in the opposite direction and I started to disdain the word goals. It reeked of anxiety and was reminiscent of a general discontentment with the present moment.

I was stuck on the word GOALS and it came with a lot of baggage.

I started re-thinking all of this when a friend started asking me about my intentions and aspirations. As I thought about it, I realized these words made it easier for me. They didn’t carry the depth that goals did and were exempt from the self-imposed block in my mind.

Intellectually, I know words only have meaning because I/we assign them meaning. Yet, emotionally, this subtle shift in word usage helped free me to think about the impact I wish to make and the dreams I have for the future. 

If words get in the way, find different ones.

I’m slowly reincorporating the word goals. In the meantime, other words are helpful.

What words carry baggage for you? 

Write down a few. Then, reflect on if the feelings you have about those words might be inhibiting you. Will different words help you consider a new perspective or direction that will serve you?