| The movie, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," tells | | | | more energy when we take "just" out, right? |
| the story of a young woman who works at a very | | | | Without "just," I can own my profession and take |
| special toy store. The store owner hired a young | | | | responsibility for my career. That responsibility is |
| gentleman to help get the paperwork in order | | | | what people fear. Questions like this come up: What |
| because it had been neglected for years. The | | | | if I am not good enough? Who is to blame if this |
| gentleman was very dry, with little sense of humor, | | | | project fails? These questions a dissipated by adding |
| and an all work no play attitude. At one point in the | | | | "just" to our vocabulary. We no longer need to feel |
| movie he tells the assistant, "It is just a toy store." | | | | responsible, and the mistakes we make become no |
| She was quite offended, because she knew there | | | | big deal, because, after all, "I am just a life coach." |
| was something special and magical about the store. | | | | The other point to make about this word is that |
| They go on to have a short conversation ending in | | | | "Just" is a minimizing word. It oversimplifies the |
| her saying, "You are a just man, aren't you?" | | | | events and truths of our lives. When we oversimplify |
| She quickly pointed out that we all say "just" quite | | | | things, we take out the possibilities for growth and |
| often. That one little word disqualifies any implication | | | | freedom. What other types of things do we |
| of the idea that there is more to life. This one little | | | | minimize? Just a hobby. Just snow. Just a rainbow. |
| word can undermine your success! | | | | Just my career. Just my family. Just a box. If we |
| On a surface level of awareness,"just" takes off the | | | | take "just" out of our vocabulary, we can add |
| pressure of life. It allows us to slip into the | | | | psychological room to grow, gain a deeper sense of |
| background, and evens out the waves we could be | | | | purpose to our actions, and reaffirm our belief |
| making. | | | | systems. |
| If we look a little deeper, "just" also says there is | | | | Here is a simple metaphor for you: |
| nothing special. Nothing beyond what the eye sees. | | | | Picture a box. Now, put the words "just me" in it. |
| No deeper meaning. It covers up the magic of life | | | | Suddenly, the box becomes cramped, with minimal |
| and disqualifies the significance of what we think, do, | | | | wiggle room. Now, take "just" out. The box has more |
| and believe. Often, we use the word "just" when we | | | | room, with more space to fill with ME! I would |
| are afraid to commit to our significant impact on the | | | | personally love for the box itself to disappear, leaving |
| world. | | | | ME with infinite possibility for growth and change. |
| Feel the difference between these two statements: | | | | Changing language in this way will get you one step |
| I am just a musician. I am just a life coach. | | | | closer to the infinite possibility you crave. What will |
| I am a musician. I am a life coach. | | | | you do with the possibility? |
| The difference is in the way we say it. There is | | | | |