Language Observation: 

The words we say are important for two reasons. First, our brains are always listening, and second, individuals determine what they think about us by listening to our words.

Last week, during a conversation, one of the individuals talked about how “busy” they were at work. When I asked about the person’s project, they said, “I’m really busy at work.” Busy has become a badge of honor or a default comment. A couple of years ago, individuals would say, “I’m slammed” or “in the weeds.” I know of very few people who have days of empty nothingness.

Our brains listen to what we say. These works creep into our subconscious, impacting our thinking more than we realize. So, the next time someone asks me about my week or inquires about my work, I plan to respond differently.

I will say, “I’m working on a new project,” “I am creating something new,” “I’m a solving a client problem,” or “I am working on a new speech.” Then I will ask about their projects to learn more about them and their interest. I am curious about how my brain and others will respond.

My guess is the conversation may be more engaging as we focus on what we are doing instead of using default comments.