Acceptable language

Last year I conducted an experiment.

A series on my Forbes column. I privately called it sceptical to spiritual.

I wrote for Jeremy. He’s the reader I pictured.

Smart, sharp. Deeply logical. Highly principled. Likes strategy, planning and execution.

Jeremy is quick to dismiss anything he considers woo. He hears manifesting, he cringes. Thinks meditation is a waste of time. Doesn't believe in soulmates.

So I broke him in gently:

Instead of karma, I say reputation.
Instead of lack, I say scarcity thinking.
Instead of blessings, I say lucky breaks.
Instead of visioning, I say visualisation.
Instead of abundance, I say opportunity.
Instead of meditation, I say thinking time.
Instead of miracles, I say unexpected wins.

We got somewhere. Emails started arriving from Jeremy-esque characters. They said strange things had started happening. I carried on the experiment:

Instead of divine guidance, I say intuition.
Instead of manifesting, I say intentionality.
Instead of faith, I say confident expectation.
Instead of trusting the timing, I say patience.
Instead of vibration or energy, I say your state.
Instead of your higher self, I say your best self.
Instead of surrender, I say letting go of control.
Instead of soul purpose, I say your unique work.
Instead of synchronicity, I say pattern recognition.

More emails. The Jeremys of the world were stressing less, sleeping better, and a bit more bearable to be around. They didn't have to be right all the time. I went further with the language:

Instead of the divine within, I say your inner voice.
Instead of energy clearing, I say resetting your head.
Instead of prayer, I say stating what you want clearly.
Instead of non-resistance, I say not fighting the situation.
Instead of thanksgiving, I say acknowledging what's working.
Instead of affirmations, I say self-talk you choose on purpose.
Instead of God or the universe, I say something bigger than you.

Jeremy was sold. He stopped beating himself up for past mistakes. Stopped trying to control everything. Started trusting his gut. Started enjoying the journey. But I wasn't done:

Instead of signs from the universe, I say noticing opportunities.
Instead of the law of attraction, I say getting what you focus on.
Instead of the divine plan, I say the work you're best placed to do.
Instead of being in alignment, I say your actions matching your goals.
Instead of the subconscious taking orders, I say your default thinking.
Instead of casting the burden, I say releasing a problem you're gripping.

Jeremy got there. Now it's our turn.

What if our greatest opportunities didn't arrive through careful planning?

What if logic and reason are holding us back, not building our empire?

What if letting go brought us more success than holding on?

Life is happening. Trying to control it will make you miserable and send you insane.

That's what it was doing to Jeremy.

So drop the controlling, chasing and coercing.

Watch life unfold.
Let life unfold.

It's unfolding whether you like it or not.

Re-read the list of substitute words. Pick the ones you’d be comfortable using.

And here’s what I never told Jeremy:

It doesn’t matter which ones you pick. They all mean the same thing.