The Daily Groove - Scott Noelle.

SCOTT NOELLE.


:: WordWatch: Always/Never ::
Today, notice whenever you use the words
ALWAYS and NEVER.
The power of these words is in their ability to
*finalize* -- to make something seem "written in
stone" -- and to establish a strong *expectation*.
For example:
    "He ALWAYS throws a tantrum when we leave."
    "I NEVER get enough sleep."
Remember, you tend to get what you expect, so when
you hear yourself say such things, rephrase them
using softer words that leave open the possibility of
improvement:
    "SOMETIMES he throws a tantrum when we leave.
    (Maybe this time he'll be fine.)"
   
    "It's been a LONG TIME since I got enough sleep.
    (Perhaps I can sneak in a catnap today.)"
But *do* use always/never with uplifting thoughts:
    "She ALWAYS finds her way."
    "I NEVER make mistakes that I can't recover from."
http://dailygroove.net/always-never