From James: Today I’m delighted to have Deanne Welsh guest posting for me. Deanne is an excellent writer, who writes poetically and with a tender heart, and has also become a good friend.

Today she has an important message to share with us all, I know you’re going to be blessed by this wonderful post:

Trees spend years pushing against the earth, making room for their expanding roots. The nutrients and water soaked up by the roots help the tree grow strong and tall. When we look at towering trees, it is easy to forget they began as a small seed.

Words begin small. They are formed in our minds and roll off our tongue into the air. Although they seem to disappear into nothing, words can either nourish or poison a soul.

“I’m proud of you.” My Dad finished reading my first eBook; his words envelope me and I feel myself standing straighter as my resolve to continue writing grows.

“Why did you do that?” I feel my soul shrivel when confronted with the questioning eyes and derisive words. It’s more of a statement than a question. 

Words have the power to heal, comfort, save, challenge, grow, wound, destroy, improve, influence, hurt, change, and guide me. Words have given shape to my soul, explaining things I could not and creating room for me to be. 

As a writer I consider words sacred. [you can tweet that]

Each of us must decide, which words will I eat and allow to nourish me? If we internalize negative or demeaning words, whether from ourselves or others, we shrivel and move towards a small life and a cage of fear. Even if we make progress towards our goals, the negative words will tell us it is not enough. It is never enough.

If we decide to be deeply nourished by words, we can move forward as we find motivating, encouraging and challenging words that fuel our growth. We will still encounter challenges, but the nutrients of these words will fuel us forward.

The first way to eat better words is to think kind thoughts about yourself. We are our worst critic. What would it look like for you to speak kindly to yourself? Do you give yourself grace and space to make mistakes? 

Then there are the voices we surround ourselves with. How do you choose your friends? Are they encouraging you to pursue your goals or trying to dissuade you from them? We need friends who will be honest with us, but there is a difference between honesty and negative discouragement. We may feel as though our friends find us, or that we simply have the friends we have, but friendship is a choice. Who will you choose and pursue as a friend? What kind of friend will you be? 

Finally, read nourishing words. Whether it’s a blog post, an article or a book, pursue words that will fuel and feed you. We cannot grow alone. 

Because we are writers and influencers, our responsibility does not end here. As we find nourishment for our souls, we have the opportunity to share this gift with others. How will you use your influence?

Giving better words to those around us is not a simple process. It takes reflection, time and courage. First we must brainstorm new ways to communicate truth and encouragement. It can be as simple as blogging from a new perspective, or as involved as creating a novel in which characters struggle, evolve and heal. Words have power.

Once an idea is born, don’t rush the process of writing, editing and revising. This can take hours or years. Ideas need the flesh of words to capture their shape. If we rush, our ideas emerge into the world with ragged clothes and will not have the impact they could have.

Finally, share your words generously. Whether your sharing your words with friends, family or your blog community, don’t keep your words for yourself. As you give them generously to others, you are making an impact. Your words are sacred and they can make a difference. 

 

 

Questions For Reflection:

How do you eat and give better words?

 

What do you do well? What area would you like to grow in? 

Deanne Welsh is a girl from the sea. She grew up sailing around the world. She writes for Turning Points magazine and loves words, stories, salsa dancing, techno music, and deep conversations. She lives with her husband in San Diego, CA, and hopes to live there for a very long time.  

You can find more of her writing at her blog  www.eclecticwaters.com and find her on Twitter at @Eclecticwaters

Her recently released eBook Living with Dragons: How to Protect your Inner World delves further into the subject of words, the lies we believe and how to find healing. You can sign up to receive it FREE by clicking here. (create link: http://www.eclecticwaters.com/join-now/). 

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