How many times a day do you say the word “but”? 

• I had a good day but I didn’t get everything done.
• I love you but you never help me with the chores. 
• I enjoy my job but it is always stressing me out.
• I am going through a really hard time but I am going to make myself get out of bed. 

The interesting thing about the word but is that it negates everything you said before it.

Here’s the definition of the word but: it is used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned. The emphasis here is that the word but negates, disproves or invalidates everything said before it. It does not allow for both things to exist at the same time.

Let’s reword our sentences with the word and to see the impact of allowing multiple things to be true. 

The word and is used to connect words of the same part of speech, clauses, or sentences, that are to be taken jointly. The emphasis here is that the word and acts as a connector and allows words to go together or be in addition to one another. Let’s see what the sentences above would look like with the power of the word and. 

• I had a good day and I didn’t get everything done.
• I love you and you never help me with the chores. 
• I enjoy my job and it is always stressing me out.
• I am going through a really hard time and I am going to make myself get out of bed. 

The word and allows room for both things to exist!

You can have a good day AND not get everything done on your to do list. You can love someone AND still have wants/needs. The list goes on and on! Two things can exist at the same time. The power of the word is that it creates space for all of our thoughts and feelings! 

Written by: Erica Filer