Hey Pinterest Users: Stop Saying This, Please!

Hey you. You use Pinterest, right? Cool. Awesome. Love to see you here. Love your Doctor Who board—like whoa. And your recipe collection was seriously inspiring.

But could you do me a favor?

Could you stop it with the phrase, “I could never?”

Not sure what I mean? Here. Let me help you.

I could never pull off that lipstick.

I could never find the time to do that craft.

I could never get the recipe right.

I could never be that fit.

I could never get my husband to agree.

I could never manage that hair color.

Sound familiar?

Why do we do this? Why do we see things we like/want to try/aspire to be/want to experience, and immediately cut ourselves down? Is it societal? Must be.

Think about it this way: If you heard your child speaking that way, what would you say? I’d turn around immediately and tell my daughter that she’s wrong. That she can try and do anything she wants, whether it’s teal hair or knitting herself a full-length Doctor Who scarf or perfecting a baklava recipe. That even if it doesn’t work right, that’s not what matters. Lipstick can be changed. Recipes can be tried again. Hair will grow.

Life is too short to cut yourself short! Not to get all Stuart Smalley on you, but y’know what? You. Are. Awesome. 

Sure, Pinterest is good for dreaming. And sure, there are going to be things we never get to in our lives. But please, please. Rock that pin. Rock the ensuing selfie. Rock it, love it, embrace it. If it turns out wrong, tell the story, pour yourself a glass of wine, and laugh it off.