Note: This article is based on the work of author Chris Norton, who tells us about his personal experience in which someone's words changed his life forever.
Regardless of whether these words changed you in a positive or negative way, words have a huge impact on the way we live our lives.
The writer's experience with injury
Words can make you feel happy, or they can make you feel very upset. Words have a much greater impact than we can imagine, and the way you use your words can make a difference in other people's lives. I learned this lesson from my own experience. I learned this lesson during the fourth night of my unexpected stay in the intensive care unit.
Four days earlier, I was an 18-year-old soccer player, until I tried to grab the ball from an opponent's team which resulted in an injury that left me completely paralyzed.
After emergency surgery, the doctors told me I had only a 3% chance of being able to move my lower body. To be clear, what I'm talking about is 3% for moving my lower body, not for walking.
Sleeping was almost impossible, and fears took over me completely; For I could not ignore them nor my own thoughts, and most nights I was crying until I fall asleep.
At 2 am. on the fourth night, I woke up to find myself lying on a stretcher. It wasn't just anxiety that was keeping me awake. Every two hours a doctor or nurse would come into my room to check on the functioning of my vital organs.
The amazing word effect
The medical staff's interaction with me was always normal or in concern with their clinical examination. But this night a female doctor came into my room and did something completely different; She leaned down next to my bed and said, "Chris, look into my eyes," when I remember that moment I feel like she was kind of mean.
Her voice was direct and commanding, she sounded like a character out of an old western, and when our eyes met she introduced herself and said, "My name is Georgia and I'm from Wyoming. Do you know anyone from Wyoming?"
I answered no, and I was wondering deep down, what does she want? "Well, listen," she continued, "the people of Wyoming don't lie, so I'm telling you you'll get well, I assure you you will."
She said those words with so much confidence, I could do nothing but cry. Up until this point, I was wondering whether or not all the time and effort I had put into healing would pay off.
Dr. Georgia did not say I might recover, instead, she confirmed that I would recover. I believed her with all my heart at that moment and immediately I regained my faith in myself. The next day when I started physical therapy I could hear her words echoing in my head.
Day by day I was getting stronger, Georgia helped me discover the impact someone's words can have on your life.
Five weeks went by very quickly, and even though my stay in the hospital wasn't over, I had been resolute all this way, lying in bed dreaming that I would be able to move my legs and walk again.
I have been working towards this dream by working hard with all my might in every physiotherapy session.
Later I decided I needed to do more, so I asked my physiotherapists to write down exercises for me to do outside of therapy, and I always reminded myself that I would succeed in the future if I cared about what to do in the present.
Words made the impossible happen
A few days later, on Thanksgiving Day, surrounded by my family, a miracle happened. My left big toe was shaken.
Just a week ago, a doctor had told me I would never be able to move my leg again. What happened to me on Thanksgiving Day proved the doctor wrong, and that was just the beginning.
Over the following years, my legs were getting stronger, and eventually, I was able to walk on the podium on my graduation day. Two years later my legs were strong enough to be able to walk with my bride on the wedding day.
Because of those four words, "You'll get over this," I refused to give up, and after five weeks I was able to defy the doctors' predictions about my progress.
Dr. Georgia may not have had an idea of the impact her words had on me, and we rarely know that what we say makes a difference in someone's life, but I say from my experience: words have that amazing effect. When we understand that our words have the power to support others to succeed as well as to discourage them, we awaken within us the ability to inspire others. We all have the power to influence like Dr. Georgia, who chose to make me inspired by her words; The result is that my life changed forever.
And ever since I heard these words, I made a promise to myself that I would do to everyone what Dr. Georgia did to me. It is this commitment that led me to become a motivational speaker, and for the same reason, I became an author and decided to share my story with all people. I also founded a non-profit organization and committed myself to sponsoring and adopting children in need.
In conclusion
So I want you to awaken in yourself the ability to help others through your words. Our words have the effect of helping or discouraging others, and everyone has their own battle that we may know nothing about.
Each of us knows at least one person in his life who needs inspiration. So when you talk to one of these people, try to have that magical effect in your words, assuring him that he can succeed.
When you do this with others, you will not only motivate and inspire them. Instead, you will feel energized and inspired in your life. We all have the ability to change our lives and the lives of others, but we must use them whenever the opportunity arises.
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