Fedore Writer

Before I turned eighteen, before I’d read any books about thoughts shaping our beliefs, and before neuroscientists explored the brain’s complex network with magnetic resonance imagining (MRI)–commercially produced in 1980. Before all of this, I silently recited, “I love math” every day as I walked to my math class at a local community college.

Every time I recited this phrase, memories of withdrawing from geometry as a high school sophomore and enrolling in bookkeeping faded. The words, “I’m just not good at math,” grew silent. And … I began to love math.

I went on to excel in my math classes and exceed the bachelors-of-arts requirements when I transferred to Western Washington University. The simple three words–I love math–had propelled me toward success at a university, in marketing, teaching, and school administration.

Today, we know infinitely more about our brains than we did in the 1980’s, and I can look back with understanding. That my fully developed shift from concrete sequential to abstract reasoning allowed me access to more learning. That stress is kryptonite to our brains. That critical thinking builds dendrites–connections and pathways–in our brains. And the harder we think, the more dendrites we build. A reward for effort? Yes, indeed.

Nowadays, we understand the power of our brains, so let’s use our thoughts for good. Everyone’s propelling word or words will be different. The important part is to find the right word or words.

For example, in my efforts to eat healthy foods, the phrase, “I choose health,” is much more suited for my personality than saying, “I can’t have this chocolate.” I choose health. Sounds like an invitation instead of a scolding, doesn’t it?

A perfect place to train our thoughts is during yoga. Our instructor, Patrea, guides us to choose a word or words for our practice at the beginning of a session: courage, strength, peace, perseverance, let go, or any word we need that day. During these sessions, when I silently repeat a word, my hour is more fulfilling, focused, and enduring.

Imagine the power of these words if we repeat them often throughout a day. “Peace” while we’re driving behind a slow vehicle. “Peace” as we watch the news, when we lose patience with a family member, or when intrusive and negative thoughts threaten to overtake our wellbeing.

Right now, many of us are feeling like we can’t control our country, our community, our lives. We absolutely can control our thoughts. Every one of us needs positive words and the habit of using them for good. Let’s find our word, repeat it silently, out loud in our cars, and/or write it on a piece of paper and tape it on our bathroom mirror. Maybe even sing a song with that word.

When work became incredibly stressful and I felt like I was losing my humanity, on my way to work, I sang a song from when I was in a church folk choir in high school. “Make me a channel of your peace… Where there is darkness, let me bring your light…” Singing my folk-choir version of “Prayer of Saint Francis” brought back my humanity.

No matter the word, song, or phrase, let’s make reciting it a daily, frequent habit.

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