A warrior is vibrant. Reading this, some might think that “powerful” might be more appropriate of a word especially for a warrior and in many cases it might be. I am thinking about it from the perspective of something called kotodama (言霊) or “word power.” Kotodama is a controversial topic that I wish to avoid, so in this context what I am thinking about is that words have a hidden power. When we say, “I am powerful,” often times it feels a bit egotistical because it has the implied meaning that we have power over others. Saying or feeling that we are powerful sometimes brings with it a bit guilt because we feel arrogant or overly confident and so the word powerful has a negative connotation. The word vibrant means “To be full of energy and enthusiasm.” Vibrant is a completely different word than powerful and we seldom say, “I am vibrant.” It seems silly to say it, but the word vibrant has a lot of power. When I say it, even quietly, I feel my power rise. Try it. Look in the mirror and say, “I am vibrant.” Do you feel your power rise up? Can you feel the positive vibe? When we are vibrant, we feel good and are full of life – our power exudes. Do words have power? For years, psychologists have been advocating for positive self-talk. When we think of kotodama and self-talk, it is easy to see that words do have power. Today, don’t try to be powerful, but rather let your power radiate and be vibrant. A warrior knows that the only power that they wield is the power that they wield over themselves and that is why a warrior is vibrant.
Today’s goal: Whenever you feel down, say, “I am vibrant.”