The 9 Most Expensive Phrases in Your Vocabulary
The 9 Most Expensive Phrases in Your Vocabulary
You mean well.
It's not like you're deliberately saying things to upset your wife, frustrate your boss, or alienate yourself from the people you love.
But sometimes you do. We all do. Because as long as you are alive there will be something new to learn about the magical mystery of human communication — the way we express our needs, desires, emotions, dreams and deepest feelings through the words we choose.
And it is those words we must become more conscious of.
Because here's the truth most people never consider: your words aren't describing your life. They are creating it.
So here are the 9 most expensive phrases in your vocabulary. These are the words costing you trust, self-confidence, money and much, much more! If you catch any of these leaving your mouth, be gentle with yourself — but take action too. Swap out the old disempowering habit for something that expresses more of your authentic self.
And watch what begins to change as you become a conscious creator...with every word.
1. "I'll try."
Even you don't believe it when you hear yourself say it.
So why would anyone else?
It might soften the moment — avoid a little conflict, buy some breathing room — but long term you're sowing seeds of self-doubt and mistrust. In yourself and in others.
The good news? It's an easy fix.
Stop it.
Next time you catch yourself saying "I'll try" — dig a little deeper. Find something more empowered. Something true.
And say that instead.
2. "I'm feeling sick."
The moment those words leave your mouth, everything shifts.
Your listener starts looking for evidence that you're sick. Your mind starts looking for evidence that you're sick. And the Universe gets to work delivering exactly that.
What if you tried this instead...
"I am experiencing healing right now."
Same situation. Completely different instruction to your mind, your body, and everything around you.
Because your words aren't describing your life.
They are creating it.
3. "I promise." (when you don't mean it)
Actually, successful people say “I promise…” a lot. The difference is they mean it — every single time.
Every broken promise sends the same message. To the person who trusted you. To yourself. And to the Universe listening to every word you say.
Your word means nothing.
That's not a character flaw. It's a programme. And it compounds every time it comes out of your mouth — eroding trust, dissolving self-belief, and closing doors you didn't even know were closing. Slamming sometimes. Right behind your failure to keep your word.
The fix is simple.
Keep your word. Every time. And if that feels hard — think more carefully about what you're committing to before you commit.
Because your words are seeds. And they only grow when you nourish them with honour.
4. "Oh, it was nothing."
Someone sees you. Acknowledges you. Offers you a genuine moment of recognition.
And you deflect it.
We're conditioned to think that's humility. That shrinking in the face of praise makes us likeable. Relatable and safe.
But every time you wave away a compliment, you send a signal. To the person in front of you. To yourself. And to every element in the Universe that's been benevolently conspiring to bring good things your way.
"Don't bother. I won't accept it anyway."
Try this instead.
"Thank you. I'm really proud of that."
Or simply — "Thank you. I worked hard for this."
That's not arrogance. That's integrity. That's you finally agreeing with the truth someone else could already see.
Because every time you shrink in the face of praise — you're training the world to expect less from you.
And you deserve so much better than that.
5. "I can't afford it."
Most people think the problem is money.
It isn't.
The problem is often the sentence that comes before the money.
When you say "I can't afford it," your mind stops searching for solutions. Your creativity contracts. Your resourcefulness disappears.
Change the words and you change the question.
"How can I afford it?"
Now your mind begins looking for possibilities, opportunities and ideas that weren't visible a moment before.
The circumstances may be exactly the same.
But you are not.
6. "I'm just…"
"I'm just checking in."
"I'm just thinking out loud."
"I'm just a mum."
It sounds polite. Humble.
But beneath the surface it diminishes everything that follows.
Words like "just," "only," and "sorry to bother you" become unconscious habits that teach both your mind and the people around you to place less value on what you have to say.
Try removing them. Not to become louder. Simply to become clearer.
"I'm reaching out because…"
"Here's what I'm thinking…"
"I'm a mother."
You haven't changed. And neither has the crux of your message.
But it comes with a completely different level of self-respect.
7. "Sorry to bother you…"
This one is funny because before you've even asked your question, you've told yourself — and the other person — that your presence is an inconvenience.
What if it isn't?
What if your question is valuable? What if your ideas deserve space?
Instead of apologising for existing, try leading with clarity.
"I'd love your thoughts on something."
"I have a quick question for you."
"When you have a moment, I'd appreciate your input."
The request hasn't changed.
Only your relationship with, and your expression of, your own worth has.
8. "That's just the way I am."
It sounds harmless. Even honest.
But it's one of the most powerful ways we keep ourselves trapped.
The moment you label a behaviour as your identity, your mind stops looking for any other possibility.
What if it isn't who you are?
What if it's simply who you've been?
Try this instead...
"That's how I've been. I'm choosing something new now."
Those few words create something extraordinary. They separate your past from your future. Your habits from your identity. Your history from your potential.
Because you are never defined by yesterday.
You are continually defined by the words you choose today.
9. "I know, but…"
Put yourself on the receiving end for a moment.
You've just shared something meaningful — an insight, an idea, a piece of hard-won wisdom you thought might actually help.
And the response?
"I know, but…"
In an instant you feel it. That quiet deflation. The sense that what you offered wasn't needed. Wasn't valued. Wasn't even really heard.
And somewhere beneath the surface, a decision gets made.
I won't bother next time.
Multiply that across every conversation, every relationship, every person who stopped offering because you — without ever meaning to — taught them their contributions weren't appreciated.
That's the real cost of "I know, but." Not just what it does to you. What it does to the people who love you enough to keep trying.
Try this instead...
"That's a great point. And here's what I'm thinking."
It's a form of positive stacking that makes your listener feel heard, valued, and genuinely glad they spoke up.
Your Words Are Your World
None of these phrases make you a bad person.
Using them means your human.
But the moment you become conscious of the words you're using — and the world those words are building around you — so much more becomes available to you.
Better conversations. Deeper relationships. A stronger sense of self. A life that looks and feels more like the one you always knew was possible.
If that world is something you'd like to explore deeper you'll love my book.
Your Word Is Law: The Ten Rules of Conscious Creation was written to show you exactly how to master your words, and master your life... starting today.
Get your copy from Amazon or at books.by/bengrantmitchell
