The Power of Words

Many of you might not know that as a girl who is so positive and strives to see everything from a place of love and compassion, I used to live in a very dark place.  I started to write poetry when I was a teenager.  Writing helped me through a terrible depression brought on by my sister’s death, sexual assault, boyfriend breakups, and teenage woes.  My writing became so frightful that I couldn’t even recognize myself.  It was a very rare occasion that I shared it with anyone.

I expressed myself through gruesome images my words could paint into your mind, the same images that would haunt me.  It was an emotional release for me, left unexpressed who knows how I would have found an outlet for it.  For years I was climbing out of the dark hole I had fallen into.  Writing and singing were a big part of my healing process.  As I found my way from the dark to the light so did my poems.  My writing became about hopes and dreams instead of nightmares and pain.

The bright light at the top of deep, dark hole was love.  True love.  The kind that fairytale’s are written about & chick flicks are based on.  I was head over heels in love.  It was all I wanted and all I needed.  Eventually, I stopped writing all together.  I was happy.

I didn’t pick it up again until my love died and once again I needed that freedom of expression.  To let myself be completely honest about what I was feeling without the fear of freaking others out.  With my loving support system and my experience, I found my way back towards the light much quicker, but something different happened this time.  I didn’t just find light, I found color, bright beautiful bold colors.  This time realizing at the top isn’t one love but all love.  Love everywhere, in everything, everyone.

When people started to tell me I had a gift with words, and a few told me I had a book in me, at first I thought no way!  I’m not a writer!   But that shared thought planted a seed of hope and possibility in me.  Opened up a world for me that I would have never imagined for myself.  Those words and words in general have been some of the most loving, life changing gifts I have received.  Gifted with insights of how people see me and believe in me gave me the courage to believe in myself.  Words imprint on people’s spirit.  Words can build you up and help you create a platform to leap from and soar.

Writing is still therapeutic for me, but I also strive for empowering and inspiring others.  We can all give others the gift of words.  If it’s a quick text, a thoughtful card, or in conversation building a platform for someone to leap to their dreams.  Words have incredible power and they can hurt but they can also transform into possibilities.  They can help someone shine and discover their sparkle.  Words are a vehicle of connection.  They drive away loneliness and make us feel cared for.  Help shine some light on someone today and help them grow.

Namaste
~ Jodi

Written by Jodi Salata

Hi! I’m Jodi Salata. I am a Martha Beck Life Coach and a vegan mom of 2 boys. I’m an avid reader who enjoys learning new ideas and thoughts about life.
I’m very spiritual and believe in God. I began my spiritual journey a long time ago as a young teenage girl walking into church for the first time. Shortly thereafter my oldest sister (31) died. I was a devastated young girl who believed it should’ve been her. Although having a church family and faith in God helped me through that loss, I still lived in depression for many years. One day, after realizing I can no longer live this way, I made the decision to “Get busy living or Get busy dying.” I chose life.