💣 TREE 690: An end to hostility

TREEpeat 239

I’ve added TREE 200–299 to the Eligible For TREEpeating list.

Language gives you the ability to think and it shapes the way you think. (Oliver Sacks explains in Seeing Voices.) In a very significant way, your vocabulary determines your thoughts.

I’ve been noticing lately that English is stuffed with metaphors of violence. I’m convinced that these metaphors are counterproductive when it comes to personal growth. We combat our cognitive biases. We smash our goals. We drag ourselves out of bed. We whip ourselves into shape.

These are the words and ideas that our culture gives us. Going to war against ourselves is one of the dominant mental frameworks for growth.

Violence doesn’t work in healthy relationships, in raising kids, in working with animals. Why should it work to help my own growth?

I don’t want to be at war with myself. I want to be a whole, integrated person – all of me working together to be the best me I can. I have declared an end of hostilities within me. I’m no longer at war with myself. I have gotten rid of the violent metaphors for my growth. I’m working on replacing them with more useful ways of thinking.

Kids making great music is in the top 10 of my favourite things in life. Go, kids!

Here’s a follow-up I wrote back in April of this this year. It’s also worth reading today.

Grow slowly
Jeff

P.S. My book will almost certainly make you feel happiness five or more times. Grab a copy for yourself and a few others for the people on your gift list.