The need for the BUT
Why is it that we feel the need to insert but to the responses that we have. For example, if we are invited somewhere that we cannot attend to we will say, “Thank you for inviting me, but I can’t make it.” Or if we watch a movie we will say things like “It was great, but I wish they would have done this or that.” It’s like we need to let our opinions be known. Why? Does it really add to the value of what we are saying, does it add something valuable to the other person? I recently learned that when we had the word BUT it erases everything that was said before. So if you are thanking them for inviting them but then adding the word but, they are only going to take whatever comes after. What if we eliminated it from our language. “I can’t make it, thank you so much though” could be one way to say it. “The movie was great!” No need to share our opinion of it.
And it’s like people are expecting you to say but. Has it ever happened that you will say something and then the other person will say But…and they wait to hear what you are going to say. People already know that we need to add the but.
What if we changed that and left them wondering why we didn’t add the but? Whatw if we learned to just say what we needed to say, not our opinion. I mean there’s nothing wrong with our opinions, I just think that sometimes they are not needed, and it is our desire to be heard, to be validated. To get the other person to agree with our opinion of it. Does it really matter? Does it matter that the other person know that we didn’t enjoy it as much, didn’t like the food as much?
Maybe it does, and I’m not giving it the importance it needs. I just think that the world is so ready for the but, so ready to hear what you didn’t like, what you have to say about it, that what we need to do is leave out the but.
My challenge to you is, next time you feel the need for the but, to pause and ask yourself why you are going to say whatever you are going to say after the but, and refrain from saying it
Blessings.
Until soon,
Aracely Chavez
Founder of Seven Streams CashFlow
Seven Streams CashFlow is more than a platform for wealth-building tools and youth entrepreneurship skills. It is a faith-driven movement and a thriving community where like-minded families grow, give, and build legacy together.
Seven Streams CashFlow was born out of a personal mission to rebuild life, finances, and legacy after divorce, not just for myself but with my two boys by my side. What started as a way to teach my kids about faith, money, and business turned into a powerful movement that equips families everywhere to do the same. Together we created more than a platform. We created a vision for the next generation.
Check out SevenStreamsCashFlow.com to find out who we are.
