If You Think You Can or You Think You Can’t

If You Think You Can or You Think You Can’t

You know how much I like old saws, good quotes, and pithy sayings. One of my faves is from Henry Ford: If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.

Capability has less to do with what we can or can’t do, than it does with what we think we are capable of. So many of us mislearned that we couldn’t. For years I felt like there was nothing I could try at which I wouldn’t fail. This is not a recipe for success.

Why am I capable? What makes me powerful? How am I strong? How am I competent?

Capable comes from a word that means to take. When we are capable, we take responsibility for something. We take charge. We take care. We take pride. We take enjoyment. We do our best, and know that it is good enough.

Capable is what we bring to the puzzles in our lives, the topics, the focus points.

Notice I didn’t say, “problem.” Words like problem set us up. Lack words. Sick, pain, problem, poor, can’t, hurt, hard, loss, and so on, are words that define our lives as wanting; disempowering language.

Think about this. Think about what is easier, getting from poor to rich, or from rich to richer? From sick to healthy, or from healthy to healthier? From pain to comfort or from discomfort to comfort? The distinctions are about our attitudes, not about facts.

On the one hand, it’s just semantics, on the other hand, get back, Hannah. There is power in words, and we are wielding it.

I choose to believe that at any given moment, my life is perfect. That means I have exactly what I need to be my best self, to live my best life, right now. And now. And now. I choose to live my life as an empowered individual, resourceful, capable, strong, and soft. I choose to live on the positive side of the scale. I expect my needs are met, so I can let go of that. I expect I have the resources I need, and they show up, I expect to have things go my way, easily, comfortably, fun, and they tend to do just that. It has taken practice, but every moment was worth it.

How do I know I can? Why am I positive? What makes me choose?

When I trust that I am capable, my life opens up. Addressing the topics in my life is easier because I know I can. Changing my attitudes is possible because I take responsibility for me. Letting go of old stuff is doable because I take care with me, value myself, and treasure my life.

When I trust that I am capable, my life brings me interesting things to do. I get to have more fun, learn more stuff, make a bigger difference. When I trust that I am capable, I stop second guessing myself, I don’t doubt I can do it, whatever it is, either alone, or with help.

When I trust that I am capable, I feel proud of my work. I feel good about my actions. I feel like a I make a nice contribution.

How have I changed from I can’t to I can?

(c) Pam Guthrie 2014 all rights reserved 06162014