There is no such thing as a ‘Justa’

I love meeting people and getting to know them. When I say getting to know them, I am talking more than surface façade – when I talk with people, they become the centre of my attention. To give example, when I was a manager in a health care facility, I had an exceptionally talented nurse who as she walked by me, I asked “How are you doing?”   

Her immediate response was the typical response  ”I am ok.”

Well the tone and body language did not say she was ok, in fact, in my mind it was the exact opposite so I did want any caring person would do I said, “the way you answered I don’t think you are ok.”

The next line threw me when she said “well, your really don’t want to know!”

So being me I replied, “If I didn’t want to know I would not have asked.”

I took her aside and asked again where she started by saying, “it is justa (actually spelled just a – but I will get into that more in a moment) bad day.” For the next 20 minutes we talked and after hearing what was going on, I sent her home (with pay) to look after herself – there was bad things happening and work was not the place to be.

So now to the word ‘justa.’ ‘Justa’ is a word used far too often in the English language to play down who you are or what is going on. My favorite is when people are talking about their qualifications and experience when a brilliant lady says, “I’m ‘justa’ mother;”  or when an individual is quiet in a group, “I’m ‘justa’ new person”, or “I’m ‘justa’ high school graduate” (not having a degree).

Well, I would not be here without a mother, my degrees only mean I have been to school they don’t mean I have any more value that someone who has not had the same formal education but brings a life of wisdom or new ideas because they have not been tainted by the academic process.

For all of you out there who use the word ‘justa’ when you are introducing yourself those listening to you miss out on the best part of you and maybe some of the best learning they will do in life because you are afraid of being found out….you are amazing and what you bring only you can bring.

So instead of being ‘justa’ use a line like I am an authentic mother, or service worker, or…you fill in the blank. We all bring something and there is no one less or more than the next person who walk on this earth.

I will ask everyone reading this to get rid of the word ‘justa’ from your vocabulary because anytime the word ‘justa’ is used something important is being overlooked.