“Let’s get out our leg warmers and dance our asses off.”–Vince Vaughn in “The Internship.”

“There is a path toward the light. The one that goes blink, blink, blink inside your chest when you know what you’re doing is right. Listen to it. Trust it. Let it make you stronger than you are.”–Cheryl Strayed

I was interviewing a business owner yesterday for an article I’m writing for People mag. We got off topic (imagine that) and she made a comment that made me consider reaching out and giving her an inappropriate bear hug. It was a simple comment, one I’ve heard (probably even said) many times before. She was upset about a particular issue that shall not be named and, in resignation, threw her hands in the air and said, “If it’s not one thing, it’s a thousand others.”

Her rant almost seemed like a foreign language to me. It wasn’t that I was offended, but it had been so long since I’ve thought that way or really even been around people who aren’t aware of the tremendous power of their words, that I sat there dumbfounded.

Now, I’m not this woman’s coach or counselor, but I wanted desperately to comfort her, to explain to her that every word that drops out of her mouth is sculpting her life experience.

I wanted to warn her, to help her understand that whatever she believes and yes, utters out loud, will be seconded by the the great universal energy.

I know. I’m probably like the annoying ex-smoker who no longer has patience for friends still practicing their former vice.

So instead of lecturing her, instead of suggesting that if she wasn’t more vigilant, negativity, like a body snatcher, could eventually take her over, I held my tongue and thanked the blink, blink, blink pounding in my chest for showing me a better way.

Pam Grout is the author of 16 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality.