The other day, while casually scrolling through my most beloved app, Pinterest, I came across a post that said, “The words you speak become the house you live in.”
The human mind wields so much control over our lives. We whisper words of hatred to ourselves to stay anchored in familiarity. We so often remind ourselves that we are not good enough, and all of a sudden, the possibility of being anything else ceases to exist.
Do the words we speak actually become the house we live in?
I’ve come to understand myself as a creature of habit. I prefer the known — or at least, I’ve convinced myself I do, because the alternative is simply too much to think about. The known is comfortable; it is safe — but staying comfortable doesn’t get you very far.
It’s quite simple to stay in the “familiar.” I’ve found that writing scripts for myself is the easiest way to do it. Over and over, I’ll tell myself that I’m not smart enough — or brave enough, definitely not confident enough, and much too awkward to step into the unknown. If you do this enough times, you’re guaranteed to stay in the chambers of your imaginary limits.
But this is not the house I want to live in.
I believed myself when I said I wasn’t good enough. Would I believe myself if I said the opposite — would my “house” look different? My mom used to say: If you’re going to make up a story, make it a good one. I have spent many years of my life worrying. I’ve made up stories that end in catastrophes, and I do it on purpose.
Many of these worries never came true. In the same breath, many experiences and possibilities have passed me by because of the words I spoke. If I had just allowed myself to be human — make mistakes, be messy, and embrace the unknown — would my worries have come true?
Maybe — but it’s a part of the human experience.
Let the human experience stain you. Let it touch your hands. Tell yourself that this is okay to do. Wash it off, and let its reminiscence remind you that you tried — that you allowed yourself to go beyond the known.
So, if you’re going to make up a story, at least try to make it a good one. Allow yourself the possibility of being “enough.” Let this standard be only for yourself, not for anyone else. It can be uncomfortable, even scary, but it’s much better than living in a house that’s always been empty.