A lot of people I know can’t stand certain phrases. ‘At the end of the day’ or any other managerial terms are big no-nos for Quizerious. I have worked in the corporate world way too long to even register when such terms are used. Some have become so ingrained in my vocabulary that I don’t even feel like a dick when I say them during every day, non-work related activities.
The term ‘panties’ definitely registers with me though, and if you use it, I’m sorry, but we can’t be friends. Another one that gets my goat (any haters of that term?) is one that has become so common that no one even thinks about what it really means – ‘I’m not perfect but…….’. I dislike it so much that I felt the need to write an entire blog post about it.
The reason why I don’t like it is because it is an affirmation of self-hate every time it is uttered. We are all already so hard on ourselves all the time – questioning decisions we make, thinking that we don’t look very good, wishing we were different in some way, or generally being our own worst enemies. We don’t need to make frequent statements to the universe that bring us down as well.
Life is hard man! We all do the best we can in whatever circumstance we are in. There is no right or wrong way to live - only choices, consequences and experiences. None of us are any better or worse than anybody else, and we are all perfect just as we are.
Of course, in saying that everyone is perfect just the way they are, I need to concede that even when people use the very phrase I am dissing, they are still perfect. I am simply trying to point out the impacts of saying such a belittling term often and without thought.
If you find yourself saying that you are not perfect, perhaps think about whether you are okay with proclaiming that there is something wrong with you? What do you feel in your heart when you say it? A hint of sadness? Guilt for knowing you should be kinder to yourself? If so, isn’t that enough to make you rethink your statement?
Instead of bringing ourselves down before we get to the crux of what we are trying to say to people, we could all just say what we think straight up. Imagine that! Doing so would allow us to stand in our power and speak our truth. That's where I want to be at!
Are there any common phrases you know of which bring people down without them noticing?