Rewriting My Reactions

If you had to give up one word that you use regularly, what would it be?

If I had to give up one word I use all the time, it would be “scared.”

I say it reflexively. A car horn blares, a shadow moves in the periphery, or someone sneaks up on me, and I blurt out, “You scared me!” In my mind, it’s a harmless phrase, a simple reaction to a surprise. But over time, I’ve realized that this little word is much more than that. It’s a declaration.

Every time I say “I’m scared,” I’m telling myself and the world that I am someone who fears. I’m building an identity around something I don’t want to be. I am not fear itself. I am a person of courage.

Words have power. The ones we repeat, especially, become part of our internal narrative. I don’t want my story to be about being afraid. I want it to be about resilience. So, I am consciously unlearning that word. It’s a small choice, but it’s a profound one.

This isn’t to say I won’t feel fear. It will still visit. But I don’t have to give it a permanent home. I can acknowledge it without claiming it as my own. Instead, I’m learning to replace it with words that reflect my true self:

• “That surprised me, but I’m okay.”
• “I was startled, and I moved through it.”
• “I felt a jolt, and I’m grounded now.”

I’m becoming someone full of strength, not someone full of fear. And it all starts with letting go of a single word.