Words Shape Our Reality

Words are powerful. They shape how we communicate with others, but they also shape the way we talk to ourselves.

Have you ever said something with one intention, only to have it interpreted completely differently? Maybe your words were meant to be positive, but something about the way you phrased them landed as neutral or even negative.

That same thing happens inside our own heads.

Our internal dialogue influences how we frame our lives, our challenges, and our goals. Research has shown positive self-talk can have meaningful benefits, and the Mayo Clinic describes self-talk as the endless stream of unspoken thoughts running through our heads. Those thoughts can be positive or negative, logical or influenced by misconceptions, preconceived ideas, prior experiences, and emotion.

That got me thinking about one very small word that has made a big difference in my own thinking.

My Three-Letter Cheat Code

You’re pushing a boulder uphill.

You move it a little. You strain against its weight. You lose some ground, then gain it back. Sometimes you fall all the way to the bottom.

You fail. You start over. You compare yourself to other people.

And then you push again.

Over the past year, I’ve learned one word can change the way I look at that boulder and even change the way my words land with people.

That word is “yet.”

There are probably more powerful words out there. But “yet” is the one that has found its way into my mindset more and more.

I sometimes think:

I’m not a lyric writer.

I can’t play and sing the way I want to.

I haven’t landed the role that will restart my career.

I still can’t fit into those favorite pants from a few years ago.

I haven’t met someone for this new phase of life.

Then I add one word.

Yet.

I can’t perform the way I want to, yet.

I can’t quite fit into those favorite pants, yet.

I haven’t landed my next role, yet.

I haven’t met someone, yet.

That tiny change shifts the meaning.

“I can’t” sounds final.

“I can’t…yet” leaves the door open.

It doesn’t promise that I’ll succeed. It doesn’t mean the work will be easy. And it certainly doesn’t mean I won’t stumble or fall back down the hill.

It simply reminds me the story isn’t finished.

“Yet” tells me I am still moving, still learning and still pushing that boulder a little farther than I did before.

Do I have evidence that this works across the board for everyone? No.

What I have are my own experiences over the past several months and I’ve noticed a real difference in how I think about the things I’m still working toward.

So I’m going to keep pushing the boulder.

I’ll stumble.

I’ll rest.

I’ll start again.

And I’ll keep moving toward the top.

Because I haven’t reached it yet.