As a modern woman dedicated to your health and well-being, you’ve likely already invested in learning more about what strengthens your mind, body, and spirit.
You understand the importance of prioritising your long-term wellness. You’re committed to making it a central part of your life.
Yet, despite this commitment, you may have noticed that certain challenges still feel like immovable obstacles.
Is there something in your practice you haven't quite cemented yet? Something that’s invisible but shaping your experience every day?
That "something" could be your language.
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Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, famously said, “The limits of my language are the limits of my world.”
While this might seem abstract at first, think about how powerful this idea is when applied to your daily life.
If the words and concepts you use shape the boundaries of your world, what could happen if you expanded your language?
Whether through self-talk, learning a new subject, or even mastering a new skill like AI or diving into a different industry.
Language is about how you make sense of your world and how you interact with everything around you.
And just like learning a new language opens doors to different cultures, ideas, and experiences, expanding the language you use—internally and externally—can remove the limits that may be holding you back.
The Invisible Boundaries of Your Language
Take a moment to think about the words you use to describe your experiences.
How do you talk about your stress, challenges, or abilities?
Do you find yourself saying things like, “I’m too busy” or “I can’t do that”? Yes, these are small everyday type phrases but they have a big impact on how you see the world.
You know as well as I do your self-talk frames your reality.
The phrase “I’m too busy,” creates a narrative that you’re constantly overwhelmed, closing off the possibility of seeing solutions, alternative perspectives, or ways to manage your time more effectively.
The limits you set in your language—whether around your capabilities, time, or understanding—shape the limits of your life.
Just as learning a new language like Spanish or Japanese allows you to communicate and interact with people and cultures that were previously inaccessible, learning to reframe the language you use internally can unlock new possibilities for growth, resilience, and success.
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Your Inner Dialogue’s World
One of the most profound areas where language can either limit or expand your world is your inner dialogue. The way you talk to yourself, especially in moments of stress or difficulty, plays a critical role in shaping how you respond to challenges. Consider the difference between these two statements:
- “I’m overwhelmed, I can’t handle this.”
- “I’m facing a lot, but I’m learning how to manage it.”
Both statements acknowledge the same reality; you have a lot on your plate. But the second statement doesn’t impose a limit.
It opens up space for learning and growth. It allows for the possibility that even though the present moment is difficult, you’re still in the process of developing new skills and resilience.
Changing your self-talk takes time and practice, much like how learning a new language begins with small, gradual progress.
First, you've got to understand basic vocabulary. Then form sentences. And finally, engage in conversations. But with each step, the limits of your world begin to expand.
The Power of Learning New Languages: Literally and Metaphorically
Wittgenstein’s insight about language isn’t limited to self-talk. It also applies to learning in a broader sense.
Whether you're learning about a new industry, mastering a skill like artificial intelligence, or even exploring a new field of wellness, every new "language" you acquire expands the borders of what’s possible.
The more you learn, the more you can engage with new ideas, new tools, and new ways of thinking. Each bit of knowledge expands your worldview and your potential.
Learning to Speak a New Language of Self-Talk
Just as learning a foreign language requires immersion and practice, changing the way you talk to yourself is a process. But each step you take in reframing your internal language will yield powerful results.
Here are a few ways to start shifting your self-talk:
- Pay attention to phrases like “I can’t,” “I’m not good at this,” or “This is impossible.” These create boundaries in your mind that don’t have to exist. When you hear yourself using them, pause and reframe.
- Replace with Empowering Alternatives. Instead of saying, “I can’t do this,” try “I’m working on learning this.” Instead of “this is impossible,” say, “I haven’t figured it out yet, but I will.” These small shifts can change how you approach challenges.
- Use language that emphasises growth and learning. Rather than “I failed,” say “I’m still learning.” Instead of “I’m overwhelmed,” try “I’m managing a lot right now, but I’m capable.” These leave room for growth and flexibility.
- When you catch yourself thinking or speaking in ways that limit you, challenge those beliefs. Ask yourself, “Is this true, or is it just a story I’ve been telling myself?” By questioning your assumptions, you can begin to dismantle the walls that language creates.
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Learning as Expansion
Experiencing language with new eyes forces you to grow. It pulls you out of the comfortable, familiar world you’ve built with your current understanding and shows you that the world is bigger than you realise.
Learning a new language feels overwhelming at first. But as you immerse yourself, what was once overwhelming begins to make sense. You start to see connections, understand key concepts, and even speak the language fluently enough to apply it in your work.
The same principle applies when learning a new fitness routine, nutritional approach, or mindfulness practice. Initially, it feels foreign, and the language of the experts may seem like it’s beyond your reach.
But with consistent effort and curiosity, what once felt impossible becomes a part of your vocabulary—both literally and metaphorically.
Limits Unlocked
If the limits of your language are the limits of your world, then every new word, concept, and new way of speaking expands your world.
It unlocks doors that were previously invisible. And dissolves barriers you didn’t even know were there.
What is one thing limiting you?
It might not be your circumstances. It might not even be your stress or your responsibilities.
It could be the way you’re talking about them. The language you use to describe your challenges and your strengths is shaping the world you live in.
The good news?
You can learn a new language. You can change your self-talk, explore new fields, and push the boundaries of what you believe is possible. And in doing so, you’ll expand the limits of your world, unlocking potential you never knew you had.
So ask yourself: What language am I speaking to myself? And more importantly, What new language am I ready to learn?