I have this thing about using negative words to describe positive circumstances.

In fact, you can ask any one of my clients about my preoccupation with any negative language in their daily check-ins … I sure do let them know about it.  ::giggle::

At a four-day seminar back in the mid-80s, I learned how the mind does not perceive language the way you project it to the world. Your mind’s ability to process words is based on a lot of vibrations, and when you use a negative word, you send out negative vibrations — whether you intend to or not.

How do you feel about the words lose, lost, or loser?

Sure, these are words that are associated with your adventure with weight control. When you reach a goal, you may announce your success like this: “Hey, I lost 100 pounds!”

You should be proud of your success. That’s an amazing achievement. But what does the mind perceive when you include the word lost in that announcement?

The mind does not perceive the sentence as positive because lost is negative word most of the time, plain and simple.

Humans cannot bear the thought of losing anything:

• What happens when you lose your wallet? (Oh the pain of calling and replacing credit cards and licenses!)
• Think about losing your keys. (Oh, the pain of making new ones and replacing locks)
• And consider the anxiety surrounding losing your job. (Oh, the pain of endless hours of job searching. How are you going to pay for your bills?)

When you lose something, the body goes into fear mode. If your body is full of fear, then it might slip into the hoarding mindset.

Think about it: What happens when you are afraid your child might get lost? If you are afraid you might lose your child, what do you do?

You never let that child out of sight; you keep her so close that she cannot possibly get lost. You get very possessive, and maybe a bit clingy. That is the brain’s natural way of saying: “Well, you can’t lose it if you never let go of it.”

So if you say you are losing weight, you send a signal to your body the results in a fear of losing. Then it will refuse to release its hold on that weight.

Instead of focusing on the weight you are losing, why not concentrate on the health and wellness you are gaining?

Also include the gaining of happiness, the gaining of a new wardrobe, the gaining of a new way of looking at food, the gaining of new culinary delights, and most of all, the gaining of a new you.

When the mind perceives the word gain it interprets the positive connotation of the word. Typically, gaining implies abundance.

So why not focus on all the abundance you are gaining by getting to your goal (another positive word)?

When you shift your focus to the things you can gain, rather than what’s being lost, then weight becomes a non-issue.

I, for one, will be working on changing my vocabulary to reflect this new line of thinking.

How about you?

What gains are you making by reaching your goal?

Are you ready to eradicate negative words that are heavy with fear from your vocabulary?