Our words can be encouraging or defeatist

Back in 2016, I wrote a column about how it’s important to avoid “stinking thinking.”

“Stinking thinking,” as motivational speaker Zig Ziglar often explained, is when we allow ourselves to be gripped by negative thoughts and emotions, making us feel defeated, discouraged and depressed. And “stinking thinking” can do that, indeed. Have you ever heard of the adage, “We are … what we think about?”

In fact, how we speak to ourselves can be self-motivating and encouraging, or self-defeating and pitying. This is generally when folks remind us that it’s not what happens to us that matters — it’s how we choose to respond. Of course, the Bible tells us this also: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7).

Now, of course, we’ve all asked a friend on the phone, or just about anyone in passing, “How are you?” Maybe it’s the clerk at the grocery store or the server at a restaurant.

Some folks will say, “Not too bad, thanks.”

You know right away that these are the proverbial “glass is half-empty” type of folks — and you know it by the words they use. “Not too bad” implies that there is always something to worry about, in their mind, or nothing is ever quite right.

Well, what if they said, “I’m fantastic, thanks,” instead? Likewise, you’d know this was the “glass is half-full” type of person — again, simply by the words they chose — whether they were really doing fantastic or not. And by responding, “I’m fantastic,” it suggests this is someone who has a positive attitude and tends to look for the silver lining, even in difficult circumstances.

So as we begin 2025 and a second Trump administration in Washington begins to take its place, our national mood, and the words we use to describe ourselves as a country, will necessarily change as well.

In fact, it already has. As you may know, President-elect Trump’s “self-talk” is very different from President Biden’s. Trump uses positive words like “great,” “terrific,” “fortune,” “thriving” and “huge.” He also says America will starting “winning again” and it will be “beyond anybody’s expectations” and “we are going to win so much, you will get tired of winning!”

He compliments those who are successful as “truly great leaders”; he talks about the “tremendous potential” of our country. The day after he was elected, he reminded us all that “America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.”

He seems to always characterize whatever he is doing, thinking or working on as the “finest,” “smartest” and “greatest.” He talks about how we need the “smartest negotiators,” or how he has built the “best hotels,” or why he celebrates those who are excellent and “most highly sought after,” and why we need to build “the strongest military that we’ve ever had.”

By contrast, though, President Biden’s favorite phrases include the words “can’t” and “don’t.” He’s talked about how anyone voting for his Republican opponent is a “threat” to democracy and a “clear and present damage” to our republic. He’s even called Trump supporters “garbage.”

He sounded the “alarm” on so-called “climate change” and says “we’re running out of time” and it’s just a “catastrophe” waiting to happen. He described how COVID was going to plunge America into a “dark winter” and how Republicans are “tearing us apart” and because of that, we’re a nation in “turmoil.”

Biden explained how, unless Congress passed his massive infrastructure spending bills, that America would be “teetering on the brink” of a economic “collapse.”

Lots of words to cause fear, panic and hopelessness, right?

President Obama was the same during his administration. Obama said there is real anger and “frustration” in our country. He was “frustrated” with Republicans, with the Tea Party, as well as anyone in small towns who clings to “guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them.”

Instead of “thriving” in your job, Obama believed “at a certain point, you’ve made enough money.” If you started a small business in your home and grew it into a terrific company, he surprised you by saying, “You didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” Instead of growing the private sector of our economy beyond anybody’s expectations, Obama was satisfied with it being just “fine,” surrendering to the belief that factory jobs moving to Mexico (like Carrier’s) are “jobs of the past” and “are just not going to come back.”

But under Trump’s first administration, those jobs did come back.

The bottom line is that how we talk to ourselves as a country is the loudest and most influential voice that we will hear. It can work for us or against us, depending on the messages we allow. It can inspire us or depress us, and the words we use make all the difference.

Sure, we all can be guilty of “stinking thinking” at times, and that’s why, from time to time, we all need a “check-up from the neck up,” in the words of Zig Ziglar.

And one thing’s for sure: The election last November was our nation’s appointment for a “check-up from the neck up” and America made a choice between two visions: “winning” (optimism) or continued “frustration” (pessimism).

May this new year be filled with opportunities for you and your family in which the difficulties might not seem all that difficult — and may you always find the “words” to say so.

Happy New Year!

Louis R. Avallone is a Shreveport businessman, attorney and author of “Bright Spots, Big Country, What Makes America Great.” He is also a former aide to U.S. Representative Jim McCrery and editor of The Caddo Republican. His columns have appeared regularly in 318 Forum since 2007. Follow him on Facebook, on Twitter @louisravallone or by e-mail at louisavallone@mac.com, and on American Ground Radio at 101.7FM and 710 AM, weeknights from 6 - 7 p.m., and streaming live on keelnews.com.