I have been TIRED lately. Not physically tired, soul tired. Know what I mean? And I figured, if I am soul tired, maybe someone else is, too. So, I will share something I thought about today. Maybe, just maybe, this one tiny lesson will make someone’s soul shinier.
Think about these words:
Just
Only
Those two words should never be used when talking about yourself (or another person for that matter).
You are not just.
You are not only.
You are.
I was thinking about the concept first in terms of me and my profession. I am an interpreter – specifically an interpreter that works between spoken English and American Sign Language (ASL). ASL interpreters are largely “invisible” in their work. At least, we strive to be… Philosophies and models of interpretation have changed over the years and continue to change, and the current model is to accept our presence in the interaction and not try to “pretend” we are not there (because, let’s face it, we are there whether anyone admits it or not…). But the reason we are present is because interaction is taking place between people who do not sign/speak the same languages. If you all learned to sign, interpreters wouldn’t be needed!
All that being said, interpreters are infamous for using “just” and “only” when speaking about ourselves. We show up to a meeting (be it in person or in a video conference room) and when a non-signing person acknowledges us before the meeting begins, we blurt, “Oh, I am just the interpreter!”.
Just.
Only.
Four letter words.
They negate our existence. Intentionally knock us down a peg.
“Oh! You work at the pharmacy? You are a pharmacist?? Cool!”
“No, no, no, I am just a pharmacy
tech…”
“What do you do for a living?”
“Oh, I don’t work. I am just a stay-at-home mom.”
“Do you have kids”
“No, it’s only my dogs and
I.”
“Do you have a job?”
“Oh, you know, I just work
at the grocery store…”
No! Not JUST. Not ONLY.
I am the interpreter.
I am a pharmacy tech.
I am a stay-at-home
parent.
I have dogs.
I work at the grocery
store.
We say “just” and “only” unconsciously I think. They are built not only into our vocabularies but into our psyches. They keep us down. Prevent us from getting a big head. Keep us humble.
And silently reinforce to us and everyone who hears us say them that we are not good enough.
But guess what?
We ARE good enough. And by that I mean – we are damn good!
So will your damn good self join my damn good self and work hard to eliminate the use of “just” and “only” when referring to yourself (and other people)? It will take a bit of reprogramming your brain! You will catch yourself saying it – or at least thinking it. And when you do, ERASE IT! If you have already said it out loud, correct yourself out loud! Be a model for the listener! Hey, maybe this will catch on!
And please do me a favor. Reply with a photo of you being YOU. All of you. Not “just” or “only” you, but the full, hard to love sometimes, over-eager, sometimes cautious, likes to laugh, afraid of heights YOU.
Let’s celebrate ourselves. ALL of ourselves.
#LanguageMatters #YouAreNotOnly
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