How many times in your life have you heard a “that’s not possible” response to something you’d like to try? I’ll bet that it was a number of times in several situations. Maybe it was phrased in different ways at different times… “Stop. You can’t do that”. “That’s never going to work”. “No way “.
And what is your reaction to that kind of statement? Do you shut down and give up? Do you stand back and feel offended or not heard? Do you get emboldened by the idea that you’re going to go ahead with it anyway, in spite of what you’re told, just to prove they are wrong?
It’s easy to give up on ideas if you don’t get a lot of positive support around you to move forward with your urges and goals. It’s hard to follow your own heart when those around you are nay- sayers, or you find yourself questioning your own abilities. Sometimes those internal messages are stealthy and you don’t even know they’re whispering to you, “Why try? You know it’s not going to work”. You’re not a quitter but why start something that may fail?
What to do? Well, you have some good options! Think for a moment of all the things in your life that you’ve been good at – you didn’t get to this age in life without successes! What did you need to do to make them happen? Granted, some luck along the way might’ve been helpful in shaping the outcome, but I’ll wager a guess that it was your desire, your dream, inspiration, creativity and your hard work in formulating the vision of what you wanted, that made you find the inner drive to bring that success alive. It takes a bit of energy and effort to make anything happen, and too often we run out of energy before we get to realize our dream.
Remember learning to drive a car? You had the dream of being behind the wheel, freedom to come and go, independence, maybe looking cool to your friends. But what did it take to get your license? The goal, the focus, the desire, the time spent learning was all yours.
And now that you’ve been driving for years, you don’t even think about it. What new dreams do you have? The same is true now as it was then. You make your dreams happen by first visualizing the outcome. Maybe you’re not so interested in looking cool anymore, but what drives you to keep moving forward?
This time of year is perfect for settling in for some quiet reflection time and some daydreams of things you desire. I hope you take the opportunity to find those moments that allow your dreams to take shape.
Ask Yourself:
How did it feel when I achieved something really important to me?
How do I personally react when I hear “that’s not possible”?
Does that hold me back or push me forward?
How do I respond to someone else’s ideas and dreams? Am I supportive, a nay-sayer, or a doubter?
Enjoy the shorter days, longer nites and introspection that are on the way! Suzanne & Patty