the 'what if' game

i have this belief that within all of us is untapped potential. and because i am a characteristically anxious person, i find that i'm constantly playing the what if game.  and if you know this game, you know that the background conversation playing in your mind goes something like "what if they don't like me? what if i'm not good enough?  what if i don't get the job?  what if i don't pass the test?  what if i never get married? what if it doesn't work out? what if the worst case scenario happens? what if i'm not a good enough parent.friend.person.employee.student.writer.artist? what if i fail?"if you know yourself or are in the process of getting to know yourself, you might find the what if game comes from a place of insecurity or a belief that we are not enough... and if it doesn't consciously start from that place it often takes us there. and for me, this kind of thinking is always about working against myself.  i don't always realize it, but somehow insecurity, feelings of inadequacy, and anxiety start surfacing. when i engage myself in this way, i encourage negative thoughts, energy, emotions, and worry by creating worst case-scenarios, catastrophizing events, and imagining all the ways in which something will fall apart.  and usually my what if games lead to believing that the challenges ahead of me are more difficult than my ability to master them- that the challenge surpasses my capabilities. we sell ourselves short in this incessant stream of thinking and believing that we are less capable than we truly are. i'm trying to play a different what if game with myself; one that encourages thinking about possibilities rather than limitations. one that fosters imagination, breaks down walls, and involves expanding ourselves to be more than we have ever considered. this what if game is about believing in ourselves, it's about coming from a place where we are enough. this game is about knowing that we can do the work and that we can get to that place within ourselves and in the world that we never thought we'd see. this reverse kind of thinking acknowledges that we have the ability to grow, to develop, and to improve. its about creativity, experimenting, and playfulness.  it's about imagining all of the possibilities. and knowing that they are out there for us to grasp. and so here's mine:

• what if i devoted this year to working on my goals in a way i have not done before?
• what if i woke up every morning and set an intention for the day?
• what if i stayed focused on each intention and worked diligently on my goals until i accomplished them all?
• what if i was consistent in my efforts?
• what if i slowed down and stopped frequently to breathe?
• what if i acknowledged that i have enough time?
• what if i stopped listening to negative self-talk?
• what if i softened into my efforts?
• what if i tried harder each time that i failed?
• what if i gave myself permission to fail?
• what if i each action and behavior was chosen from love?
• what if i spent less time on my cell phone and more time investing in my relationships? in myself? in my community?
• what if i wrote every day?
• what if i expanded my mind every day?
• what if i took risks?  what if i got uncomfortable?
• what if i started today? right now?

•      what if i was limitless?

 do you feel the difference?when we open ourselves up to the possibilities we begin to pave the pathway for our goals to unfold.  train your mind to look within yourself in a new way, and train your inner voice to build you up to your capabilities instead of breaking you apart through your insecurities. i have this belief that it is our responsibility and gift to use ourselves up.  to grow into our weaknesses and to give to the world the talents that are within each of us that only we as individuals have.  i have this belief that we are all incredible.  that if we sat down and took the time to look within ourselves, to get to know ourselves, and committed to the process of achieving our heart's purpose, that we would astound ourselves and one another in what we could accomplish. i have this belief that the world would become even more beautiful.