Words as Spells: Being Intentionally Witchy

As October sets in and the breeze gets a little cooler, we tend to want to stay home a little more. (Unless you're like me and are obsessed with pumpkin patches.)

Spooky season also brings out conversations about manifestation, witchcraft, rituals, and being a little more intentional with what we put into the universe. So today, I want to talk about the power of words. Spells, if you want to call them that, and the power of intentionality.

Have you heard of manifestation? The idea can mean different things to different people, but generally, it involves being intentional about what we want, what we focus on, and what we put out into the world. Some people believe the universe responds to these intentions. Others see manifestation as a way of directing their attention and actions toward what they hope to create.

To me, there is something a little witchy about that.

Now, I'm not calling you a witch for using manifestation or being intentional with your words. But what's wrong with being a little witchy?

The Words We Repeat Become the Stories We Believe

One theory I often refer to in my work as a therapist is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. CBT recognizes that our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and environments are connected. The way we interpret an experience can influence how we feel, how we respond, and what we do next.

I wouldn't necessarily call CBT manifestation, but I do think there is an interesting connection between the two: both invite us to pay attention to the patterns we are creating and reinforcing!

There are times when I criticize myself a little too harshly. Times when I beat myself up over small mistakes. Times when I tell myself I don't deserve something good

And sometimes, I catch myself.

That moment of noticing is important. It is key.

Instead of allowing the thought to continue on autopilot, I try to rephrase it. I might tell myself:

I deserve good.

I deserve self-compassion.

I'm doing my best.

Sometimes I'll repeat these statements three times or more.

Not because saying something three times magically makes it true, but because repetition matters. The language we use with ourselves can become familiar, and familiar thoughts can start to feel like facts.

So if we're going to repeat something, why not make it something kind? We owe it to ourselves.

Your Environment Is Part of the Spell

Environmental psychology looks at the relationship between people and the environments they occupy. Our surroundings can influence us in many different ways, and our environment is more than just the physical space around us.

It can include the people we spend time with. The messages we hear. The expectations placed on us. The way people respond when we make mistakes. Even the language we repeatedly hear about ourselves can become part of the environment we live in.

If you're constantly surrounded by people who diminish your value, minimize your struggles, or overlook your accomplishments, it makes sense that those experiences could affect how you feel and how you begin to speak to yourself.

This doesn't mean that we can simply think our way out of difficult circumstances. We can't control everything around us, and sometimes our environments genuinely need to change.

But there are small pieces of our environment that we can intentionally create.

And sometimes, that starts with the words we choose.

Create a Little Ritual for Yourself

This is where I think we can bring in a little bit of that witchiness.

Create a weekly ritual for yourself. Or a daily one. Or whenever you need it!

It doesn't have to be complicated.

Light a candle. Put on some gentle instrumental music. Make some tea. Sit somewhere comfortable. Put your phone away for a few minutes.

Then start by noticing how you speak to yourself.

What have you been telling yourself lately?

What do you need to hear?

What would you say to someone you love if they were feeling the way you are feeling? And then, try saying it to yourself.

Maybe you've been telling yourself, Why am I so selfish?

Can you change it to:

I'm giving what I can right now.

Maybe it's:

I'm so stupid.

Could you instead say:

I made a mistake, and I can learn from it.

Or:

I'm not doing enough.

Could become:

I'm doing what I can with what I have right now.

This isn't about forcing yourself to be positive all the time. Sometimes things genuinely hurt. Sometimes we're disappointed, angry, grieving, exhausted, or overwhelmed. We don't have to turn every difficult emotion into a positive affirmation. The beauty of being a human is to feel.

Instead, the goal is to notice.

Notice the thought.

Notice the feeling.

Notice the words you're using.

And then decide whether those words are actually serving you.

Rewrite the Spell

Maybe being a little witchy isn't about casting a spell that magically changes the universe.

Maybe it's about noticing the spells we've already been repeating.

I'm not good enough.

I'm too much.

I don't deserve this.

I should be doing more.

I'm always messing things up.

We've probably heard some version of these thoughts so many times that they can start to feel like truth.

But thoughts are not always facts. And words are not always harmless.

So what if we became more intentional with them?

What if we treated our words like little spells, not because they have supernatural powers, but because the words we repeat can shape the way we see ourselves, our experiences, and what we believe is possible?

This October, maybe give yourself permission to be a little witchy.

Light the candle.

Play the music.

Make the tea.

Notice the words.

And if you find one that isn't serving you anymore, rewrite the spell.