The closest thing I have to a resolution this year is to stop saying “just.”
Unless I’m relaying something that “I just did 5 seconds ago,” I want to stop using the word when it pertains to anything about myself.
After recently watching an old TV appearance where I seemed to say “just” in every other sentence (“this is just some whole wheat pasta;” “just stir this for 5 minutes;” “you just need to shred the cheese…”), it started to feel like nails on a chalkboard.
But it wasn’t just annoying. I realized that I was constantly downplaying what I had to offer. I was minimizing myself.
It reminded me of an old frie who used to leave voicemails saying “Hi, it’s just me…” It’s not the most direct way of saying “I don’t matter” but that’s definitely implied.
So in 2016 my goal is to stop these subtle digs. My fiancé and I make it a priority to speak highly about each other. I want to do that for me too. Words matter. Life reflects what we say.
I hope you will consider making this adjustment with me. It seems small but it represents, and I think can help trigger, a giant leap in our lives.
Let’s make 2016 more than just another year.