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All Words Are Not Created Equally

Did you know that over 4,000 words are added to the dictionary every year?  Pretty mind-boggling and humbling, especially when you still catch yourself googling words you get in an...

Did you know that over 4,000 words are added to the dictionary every year? 


Pretty mind-boggling and humbling, especially when you still catch yourself googling words you get in an email from a really smart client or friend (or is that just us? 😅). 


But really - 4,000 words!? That’s a LOT…like 10 words per day


Two primary things land with us about this realization: 

#1 - There is always more to learn 

#2 - Not all words carry the same weight


While #1 is a solid reminder, it’s #2 that particularly stands out. 


Because the words included in the dictionary (not to mention all of the new “abbrevs” and other lingo kids these days are coming up with) all carry different weights. Would you agree?


Some words feel new and fresh - even if they’ve been around for decades.


Some words create feelings of encouragement and happiness, while others create feelings of defeat and sadness. 


Some words we can’t live without, like ‘and and but’, while other words have meanings we don’t even understand.


The weight of our words can really be felt when considering things like famous movies, record-breaking songs, and world-changing speeches. I mean, we don’t just throw a powerful quote in our Instagram feed for no reason, right? 


So what’s our point…? 


Words matter. And here at Elevate, we believe that the way we communicate with our clients and our team matters. 


We believe that every conversation and every interaction carries weight - and it’s up to us to decide how our words will impact those they’re being spoken to. 


Wondering how this can apply to you? Keep reading!


You see, the power of words trickles into every area of our lives. And today we want to share with you three specific ways you can begin to build awareness and intentionality in how and when you’re using words! These can be applied to any setting - from personal/home life to events, to a day at work.


1 - DECIDE AHEAD OF TIME

When we’re working with clients to plan a remarkable experience, we always encourage them to intentionally select moments during which they can cast vision, remind attendees that they’re grateful for them and more. These *keyword* intentional moments are planned for - so they’re not based on emotion, stress, or any other “feeling” that has the tendency to arise in the heat of producing a great event. And let us tell you - getting to watch the face of attendees who get to hear words of wisdom from their leadership and feel valued by them? WORTH every bit of discomfort that may come from planning for and sharing these words. 


This tip can also be applied to team meetings by carving out time to point out specific things you see in different team members, pride in a project that has reached completion, and more. And at home? Say goodbye to cell phones at the dinner table and instead, decide on 1-2 conversation topics to discuss as a family. IT’LL BE MAGIC, WE TELL YA! 


2 - VIRTUAL ≠ IMPERSONAL

Spoiler alert! Virtual events are still happening, and there are more remote employees in today’s workforce than EVER before (nearly 26% in the US alone, to be precise)! 


Naturally, it may seem that being ‘personal’ through a screen is impossible. But we promise – it’s not! Whether it’s a large virtual gathering or a 1 on 1 with your newest remote team member, not being in person does not have to mean impersonal. 


3 - GET CREATIVE

Remember how this blog started? We each have four THOUSAND opportunities per year to get creative with our words. So instead of responding to your coworker who asks how your weekend was by saying “good”, try using more descriptive words that spark a deeper conversation. 


Why? Because conversation is a GREAT culture builder - and we spend a LOT of time at work, so why not dig in and enjoy/really get to know the people we work with? 


At an event, you can incorporate fun & interactive games that involve words (find some great options in our full library of icebreakers by clicking here). 


Realizing and accepting the weight of our words can be a game changer in the way we do business and most importantly, the way we nurture and build relationships.


We’re big believers that EVERYTHING comes down to people and that we have the opportunity every single day to make a difference in someone’s life. 


So as you enter into the rest of your day, week, month, and year, we encourage you to consider the weight of your words. 


And we want to know – do you plan to put any of the tips above into action? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below or DM us on Instagram @eventspeoplelove.


Need help building great culture at your organization? You can download our FREE RESOURCE all about practical ways to build great culture HERE. We can also help you brainstorm ideas on how to do this effectively and in a way that feels natural to your company’s personality. CLICK HERE to book a call with our team.

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