The Power of Yet: One Word That Changes Everything

I recently had to do something I’ve never done before: physical therapy. I didn’t know what to expect, but I figured I’d breeze through recovery and end up on a Wikipedia page for record-breaking rehab times.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t.

Healing was slower than I expected. Progress felt uneven. And at one point, I caught myself saying, “I can’t even walk two miles.”

That’s when my physical therapist gently added, “Yet.”

One word. And everything shifted.

What “Yet” Really Does

“Yet” is a bridge. It takes a fixed statement of limitation and quietly turns it into a possibility.

• I can’t walk two miles… yet.
• I can’t lift that weight… yet.
• I can’t climb that hill… yet.

It doesn’t promise instant success. It doesn’t minimize your current reality. But it holds space for growth. For becoming. For change.

The power of “yet” lies in its permission. Permission to keep going. To not be perfect. To be unfinished.

It nudges you forward without the pressure of being there already. It shifts the focus from outcome to process. From failure to progress.

This Isn’t Just About Healing

Since that moment, I’ve started adding “yet” to more of my sentences. And I’ve realized how transformational it is beyond physical therapy:

• I don’t have enough for a down payment… yet.
• I haven’t met the right person… yet.
• I can’t play that song… yet.
• I haven’t figured out how to meal prep… yet.

It’s powerful because it acknowledges reality while still leaving the door open. In a culture that values finished products, “yet” honors the process. It reminds us that not arriving is not the same as being lost.

Sometimes the hardest part of learning, healing, or growing is staying patient with where we are. “Yet” gives us permission to be in progress without shame.

It quiets the inner critic and makes room for hope.

The Remix Effect

Adding one word flips the whole meaning. It’s a remix for your mindset. A subtle reframe that invites hope and motivation to the table.

It doesn’t change what is, but it reminds you what could be.

So the next time you catch yourself saying, “I can’t,” try adding one more word:

• I can’t make time for exercise… yet.
• I don’t understand budgeting… yet.
• I haven’t mastered sourdough… yet.

Tiny shift. Big impact.

What About You?

Where are you stuck? What’s something you haven’t mastered… yet? Drop a comment or share your own “yet” moment on IG. @remixology