Living in Absolutes

Change is always hard.  When it comes to changing vocabulary, one must be mindful of the word choice and what they’re trying to convey.  Language can be so complicated!  Something I’ve been trying to be conscientious of lately is using absolutes in my statements.  It wasn’t until I was consciously observant that I heard the messages I was unintentionally conveying.  Not sure what I mean by ‘absolutes?’  Let me break it down.

Examples of absolutes include always, never, nothing, everything, definitely, anytime, best, and worst.  Depending on the sentence this word is used in and the tone used, the messages could be vastly different!  Humor me by reading this aloud:

“I would never go back!  That place was the worst!”

Compare it to: “I would prefer to not return.  I did not have a great experience.”

Notice a big difference?  A lot less words in the first example but conveying a message that describes the place as being the absolute worst.  That, and they will never return. 

Absolutely comes off as rather harsh.  Like it’s the final straw, and can not be visited again.  My personal favorite is:

“I will definitely be there!”

Who are we kidding?  I know myself.  If I can opt out of something, I probably will.  I need alone time to recharge, seeing that I am a huge introvert.  No, I will definitely not be there.  I might be there.  And if I show up I’ll be happy to see you!

Living in absolutes makes life harder than one realizes.  It makes you less likely be to be invited to hang around.  Using this language, really had a negative connotation.  I’m not saying you can’t use it.  I’m just asking you to pay attention to the words you use.

For questions or comments contact Joanna.