In times of overwhelm, worry, uncertainty, and stress we can easily get sucked into the mire of negative chatter. Though the adage, “misery loves company,” may be true, it leaves us and others in misery. On the other hand, an environment that fosters hopefulness gives us motivation, resiliency, and empowers us to act.
This does not mean we look at everything through rose colored glasses or expect the best outcome in all situations. We do face tough circumstances that require difficult decisions at times. Leaning into hope means we are focused on what is possible. Eric Liu, lawyer and CEO, explains it this way, “To be optimistic is to assume things will work out. To be hopeful is to realize things can work out if you work at them. Hope requires responsibility and agency…”
The way we speak and the words we use can breed hopefulness in ourselves and those around us. They influence our mindset, feelings, and attitude; all of which affect our approach to situations.
Some examples of intentional word choice that can produce a more positive mindset are:
- “Peak season” instead of “busy season”– It is probably fair to say most people feel busy all the time. References to busy season today evoke a bit of a laugh or roll of the eyes from many people because our workload and personal responsibilities seem to always keep us busy. If you look up thesaurus references for the word busy, it can evoke thoughts of “toiling” or “laboring.” Peak season refers to a time of elevated demand. These are periods when our skills and talents are especially needed by others. Peak periods are defined based on when our services are most needed; so we plan to balance the workload with other responsibilities in our lives, and set appropriate expectations with colleagues, clients, and family.
- “Thrive” vs. “survive” – To survive implies we are just getting by; we are trying to keep our head above water, fighting for our very lives. Operating in this frame of mind can be mentally and physically exhausting. Whereas, when we focus on thriving, we are striving for success; we design plans to achieve rewards and experience prosperity. The objectives and possibilities we imagine are vastly different when we speak of surviving versus thriving.
- “Opportunities” and “threats” – can be used to characterize the same situation. Threats tend to create fear and avoidance. Opportunities inspire hope and interest in what is possible. Our perspective is influenced by the way the situation is presented to us. Is it something to fear or does it open new options for us?
Technology is an example of a topic that can be perceived as a threat to some and an opportunity to others. Leaders that illustrate all the new opportunities that talent have to provide higher value for the firm and clients when other lower-value tasks are automated will foster more hope for the implementation; whereas, leaders that communicate the threat of roles being eliminated and lack of knowledge about new technology can cause undue worry and concern in their team. The leader that speaks to the opportunities as a potential outcome invite more enthusiasm, collaboration and discussion on ways to embrace the technology change.
There are many more examples of words we can choose to produce hopeful feelings and motivate action instead of using words that produce worry and overwhelm. What examples can you think of or use now? Share them here!
Let’s practice choosing a positive frame of mind and using words that inspire our team members, clients, family, and friends. Make a small adjustment to improve our team culture and elevate our mindsets over time.
Wishing you success and inspiration,
Samantha
