10 Words to Eliminate From Your Vocabulary
“What will other people think…. What will other people say?”
We need to eliminate these 10 words because they hold us back and limit us from becoming all that we can be. When we’re more worried about what people think or say about us, we’re not living our own authentic lives. We’re living according to the expectations and opinions of others.
Thinking back to when I was in high school, these 10 words pretty much ruled my life. I was so worried about what other people thought of me and what they might be saying about me. It caused me a lot of unnecessary worry and anxiety.
Here’s the reality: other people are so wrapped up in their own little worlds that they don’t have much time to think about you. They’re totally focused on their own day-to-day thoughts and concerns.
On top of that, I dealt with the pressure of trying to fit in. “Am I fitting in?” “Am I hanging with the ‘cool’ kids?” “Geez, I don’t want to stand out. I just want to be part of the group.” That was a tough time in my life.
We are all raised with certain values and principles. We are taught to know what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s kind and what’s not. Yet, in social situations, we can sometimes worry so much about what other people think or say about us that we let it influence our behavior. Sometimes we end up acting or speaking in ways that don’t align with our values.
This is where you have to remind yourself of who you are and the person you are proud to consistently be. We’ve all been in situations where we weren’t true to ourselves, allowing what other people think or say to steer us off course. Sometimes, we even end up hurting others or disappointing ourselves just to fit in. I’ve made this mistake more times than I care to remember.
But here’s the good news: mistakes are part of the journey of getting better and understanding who you truly are. Great people learn from their mistakes and stop letting what others think or say affect their best selves. This takes inner strength, especially as we grow and develop our own style and choose who we want to surround ourselves with.
The first step is to be aware and catch yourself when you’re more concerned about what others might be thinking or saying. Take a slow nasal breath and reset back to your values and who you are. Ask yourself, “Am I being true to myself right now, or am I letting others drive my thoughts and behavior?”
I know it’s easy to say but hard to do in the moment. It takes practice. Sometimes you’ll succeed, and other times you won’t. Remember, life is a journey. The first step is awareness of when this is happening. The second step is choosing to change your thoughts or behavior to align with your highest self.
Now, since I asked you to eliminate 10 words from your life, let’s replace them with the 10 most powerful two-letter words:
If... It... Is... To... Be... It... Is... Up... To... Me.
This is a very powerful mantra that some of my students repeat every morning as they get out of bed. It reminds you that you are in control and have choices over many important things in your life. You have the choice and control over your thoughts, words, and actions.
It also reminds us that there’s no need to blame anyone else. You are not a victim. You are a powerful person who has the choice every day to decide how to approach everything that happens to you. When you say, “If it is to be, it is up to me,” it becomes a personal mantra that can motivate you to take consistent action, adjust when needed, grow, and make a positive difference in the lives of those around you.
Be the person you want to be. Don’t end up being the opinion of someone else.