Kind regards: how the words you choose make a difference
Five simple ways that using kind words can benefit how you and others feel
Can the words we use completely change how we feel? If you find yourself using negative words – such as “hate”, “don’t” or “not” – chances are you’re going to start seeing everything in a less positive way. In their book Words Can Change Your Brain, neuroscientists Mark Robert Waldman and Dr Andrew Newberg argue that using negative language can activate our fear responses and increase levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. On the other hand, using positive words can boost our reasoning abilities, they claim.
What’s more, according to a 2016 study by researchers at the University of Oxford, when using positive language by practicing kindness towards others, it causes a “small but significant increase” to a person’s subjective wellbeing. In other words, kindness may not transform your life, but it should “nudge it in the right direction”.
Bethan Davies, a life-coach, agrees that giving compliments doesn’t just benefit others but “will help you feel better too.” Davies believes that both in life and business, kindness can be hard to come by – but it can be a powerful motivator. “Use positive words on yourself first thing, like ‘I am good enough to do X’ or ‘I will get that report done by the deadline set’,” she suggests.