I’m Fabulous – The Power of Words
On my path of self-discovery, I stumbled across an unexpected opportunity to change my life. One that would redefine the way I approached each day. It all began with a simple phrase, “I'm fabulous,” that held the power to reshape the narrative of my reality.
Years ago, during a time of self-reflection, I started to notice how my energy was stuck in what felt like a rut. Deciding to do something about this, I came up with a way to experiment on myself. My thought – “What would happen if I changed the way I responded when people asked me how I was doing?”
Instead of old standbys of “I'm fine” or “I’m good” I picked a new phrase – “I'm fabulous” and I made the conscious choice to say “I'm fabulous” anytime someone would ask me how I was doing. Over time, fabulous became my word and it created an unexpected ripple effect in my life.
Saying “I’m fabulous” was awkward at the beginning. It felt unnatural as I had been conditioned to respond in a certain way. My persistence (and stubbornness 😊) became my guide through the uncomfortable feelings and I transformed this new phrase into a mantra for my everyday life.
As it became part of me, an unexpected thing happened. This energy shift wasn't just mine. It flowed through the world around me. People were responding to this phrase in surprising ways.
Some were matching the energy brought on by these words. Others were pausing to take in these words. Early on, I received a phone call and the person asked the age old question “How are you?” I responded with my new signature phrase “I’m fabulous.” It had become fun to say at that point so there was an extra bit of flare in my voice. This person fell silent for a good 10 seconds or so as they didn’t know how to respond. Gathering their thoughts, you could feel the shift in their energy over the phone. The simple “I’m fabulous” phrase moved them into a more positive place. They ended up mirroring my energy during that call. As our conversation ended, they thanked me for brightening their day with my words. It was so powerful to experience the impact beyond myself.
Not everyone embraced these words. Some would mock my “I’m fabulous” – oh so you are fabulous. Others would challenge me telling me I was not being honest with myself. How can you always be fabulous? Some were almost hostile with their feedback as if I was intentionally misleading to them. My words were some personal affront because I wasn’t being truthful in their eyes.
This change that I made for myself became a study of human behavior. An experiment initially designed to provide some personal growth became a research project into the human experience. It became an opportunity to recognize a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. From people who mirrored and even exceeded my energy to those who tried to pull me down into their dynamic. Gaining insights into the different faucets of human behavior has been such a gift.
In my coaching, I am very aware of the power of words and I work to carefully choose my words as people share their journeys with me. It is a big part of my listening. Paying attention to the words people use and how they use them leads to deeper discussions around how those words impact them. This insight can be empowering and help develop an awareness around how they may be getting in their own way.
Are you choosing words that lift you up and move you forward? Pay attention to automatic responses and how they drive your energy. Everyone needs an “I’m fabulous” in their world.
#imfabulous #positiveneregy #howareyou #powerofwords #coaching
