8 life-affirming words we should utilise in our day-to-day lives

Discover eight life-affirming words and concepts to bring a little bit of positivity into your daily life

I don’t know about you, but 2022 is already kicking my butt (and it’s only February). We all go through tough periods. Finding ways to focus on the positives, entrench wellbeing into our day-to-day lives, and focus on things that can truly help us to enrich ourselves can help make those trying times feel that much more bearable.

To help spark inspiration and kickstart your curiosity, here are eight life-affirming words to help dispel negativity and refocus on moving onwards and upwards.

Biophilia

A love of life, or the innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living beings. In a time of increasing urbanisation, who wouldn’t want to foster their connection with nature?

Cacoethes

The urge to do something inadvisable. Used specifically to describe harmful habits or urges, we all have moments of cacoethes. Acknowledging our unhealthy urges and actions is often the first step towards making positive changes.

Degust

To taste something carefully to fully appreciate it. With our fast-paced lives, we should reintroduce degustation to help us be fully present and appreciative in the moment.

Eucatastrophe

A sudden, positive resolution in a story. Who doesn’t love a happy ending? Coined by Tolkien, eucatastrophe is thought to be a form of deux ex machina (in essence, interference from the gods) however while the latter is often discussed in negative terms and may have a bad outcome, the former refers purely to positive events.

Hwyl

A welsh term describing a stirring feeling of emotional motivation and energy. Hwyl is used to describe a positive mood.

Ikigai

A Japanese concept, ikigai roughly translated to ‘something one lives for’ or ‘purpose in life’. Finding something that can give you a sense of purpose, fill you with joy, and help create an overall sense of wellbeing, discovering your ikigai can take time, but is a worthwhile pursuit for us all.

Kintsugi

The Japanese art of pottery repair that uses gold to give broken or damaged things new life. Kintsugi can provide a gentle reminder that no matter how broken we may think something is, there are ways to repair it than can make it even more beautiful without hiding those perceived imperfections.

Respair

Having fallen out of fashion sometime back in the 15th century, respair means fresh hope and recovery from despair — something we could all desperately do with a little more of right now.

Language, growth mindset, and embracing the power of yet

Language can have a significant impact on our growth mindset (the belief that talent can be developed through hard work, rather than being innate gifts). Being kind, considerate, and gentle with ourselves can help us to foster a more positive mindset, enabling personal growth and development.

Instead of focusing on the negatives, challenge yourself and your language. Next time you find yourself thinking “I’ll never be able to do that!” try to reframe things. “I wonder what I can try next to help me move closer to my goal?” Just because you can’t do something YET, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Yet indicates you aren’t finished learning; there is still room to grow and move towards your goal.

Let’s continue learning new words, discovering new concepts, and embracing powerful ways of encompassing moments of mindfulness into our lives, to help foster a more positive mindset.

Evie is a writer, editor, and geek. In her spare time, she enjoys writing about mental health and wellbeing, motherhood, manga, and all things travel-related.

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