Many people give up something during Lent – chocolate, meat or a bad habit. I’ve tried giving up the word “but” because I realized that with family members I’m guilty of saying, “That’s one way to look at it, but…” The “but” is usually followed by what I think is the RIGHT way, meaning MY way.
What impact does it have on you when someone can’t resist putting in their two cents? Are you encouraged or discouraged? Do you feel valued or discounted? How excited are you about implementing this idea? Are you likely to offer an idea to this person in the future?
Disagreeing with someone is different than dismissing their idea. I invite you to count the number of times you hear “but” or “however” this week and notice how the discussion could have been different if the sentence ended before the “but.”
For more suggestions on giving up bad habits, see What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith.