"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." WRONG.

Words are more powerful than we give them credit for. They are our first introduction to communication, expression and understanding. We have downplayed the ability of words to make or break our day.

Think back to those heart to heart conversations with loved ones that motivated you through whatever rut you may have been experiencing. Or the song lyrics that explain your current situation way better than you ever could. Or influential poetry you've read that instantly elevated your mood. These few examples speak greatly to the power of words and the effects they have on our lives.

So why don't we use words to reach our highest potentials?

I was introduced to the law of attraction in the beginning of 2016. For those of you who don't know, it is the belief that thoughts carry energy and by focusing on either negative or positive thoughts, you are allowing positive or negative experiences into your life. If thoughts have so much power on our experiences, imagine the thoughts we say out loud? The universe listens to our words (the way we speak about ourselves, the way we downplay our achievements, our constant doubts) and manifests these experiences accordingly.

Have you ever felt as if you were constantly experiencing one negative experience after the other? Did you stop to think if your self-shaming and self-doubt was inviting that energy into your life?

It is easy to criticize yourself when you make a mistake or mention all the things that are going wrong in your life when someone asks how you're doing. I know for me it's become almost second nature at times.

However, once I witnessed the positive affects my words had on me reaching my highest truth, I began speaking life into myself. Realizing that I am worthy of being the best me possible and that only I have the power to get there, I began to chose my words wisely when speaking on my myself.

This has been a difficult battle and required a lot of mindfulness when having conversations with others as well as myself, but I haven't given up.

There are many ways one can begin speaking words of positivity into their lives. One way is through journaling, something that I always encourage people to do. Follow a simple prompt such as writing down what you value most about where you are right now. Look over the list and while reflecting on the great qualities you possess this far, keep in mind that "My story's not over".

Another outlet I have found helpful is affirmations. Affirmations are especially important because they are statements that help you overcome self-sabotaging, negative thoughts. Standing in front of the mirror and repeating an affirmation one to two times a week can make a huge difference in how you view yourself. One of my favorite affirmations is "I give myself permission. To shine. To take up space that is mine."

Words are a way of expressing our feelings and our truth. How we speak about ourselves is how others view our worth and is also the message we put into the universe for what we deserve. In order to see a difference in elevating to your highest potential, change the way you speak about yourself.

Constantly ask yourself this question : If the words you spoke appeared on your skin, would you still be beautiful?