3 Life Changing Words

I wanted to share the words that have had a huge impact in my life over the past several years. 

These three (or four, depending on if you use the contraction or not 😉) words have literally changed my life. 

Here are the words:   “I’m choosing to…”.

Mind blowing, right? 🤯 Let me explain why they are so powerful.  

I used to say to myself things like, “Ugh, I have to go to work”

“Ugh, I have to eat this instead of that”

“Ugh, I have to  ______” (insert anything that I didn’t really want to do).

What I wasn’t conscious of was how that phrase “I have to” was negatively impacting me. 

When I was telling myself that I “had to” do these things, I felt like I had very little control over my life and like things were happening to me without me really wanting them to.  By using the words “I have to”, I was completely disempowering myself and I didn’t even know it.

And actually, I was lying to myself as well.  And I didn’t realize that either!  Because the truth is, as an adult, I do get to choose what I do and what I don’t do.  The only person that “makes me” do anything is me.  

 
With the help of coaching, I discovered that this was happening  and I was able to shift to using the phrase, “I’m choosing to…”.    

“I’m choosing to go to this job.”
“I’m choosing to eat this salad.”

“I’m choosing to clean up the house.”

I didn’t “have to” go to work.  I was choosing to go to work because I wanted to help my patients and also collect my paycheck.  

I didn’t have to eat the salad.  I could eat pizza and fries but I’m choosing to eat this salad because I want the health benefits that eating it offers me.  

I don’t have to clean the house.  I’m choosing to clean the house because I want my family to live in a clean space.   

It may seem like a small shift but going from “I have to” to “I’m choosing to” has had hugely beneficial consequences in my life.  I'm in charge.  I'm empowered.  I own my thoughts, feelings and actions.

Try it out and let me know how it goes.  I’d love to hear your before (I have to ____) and after  (I’m choosing to ________).  Email me at [email protected]