When You Think You Can

By Linda Salazar

How many times have you heard yourself say I can't, only to find that you really can and you did? It seems whenever we are faced with something that feels like it's beyond our ability we automatically go into the 'I can't do it' syndrome before we even consider the possibility that we really can. Too often we give up on ourselves before we even start having less faith in ourselves than others have in us or we have in others.
Recently, I was talking to a friend who did the 3 Day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The goal was 60 miles a day and her first thoughts after she arrived at the event were, "There's no way I can do this. I haven't prepared enough, I'm not in shape." Quite simply, she was scared and overwhelmed by the task ahead of her.
Well, three days later and two very sore, blistered feet, she did it, along with thousands of others, who probably echoed those same words before they started out. I can't speak for the thousands of others who completed the walk, but I know how proud and joyful my friend was when she was done. It was absolutely a monumental event in her life and I was thrilled for her and the accomplishment.
It's that joy and proud feeling that makes your journey from I can't, to I can, to I did, so worthwhile. You deserve to prove to yourself that you absolutely can move forward when faced with any circumstances that seem daunting and impossible.
Yes, your fears will show up when new opportunities present themselves and that's good! It means you're expanding yourself and the more you expand the more you build on your strengths. When you pull back from what you fear, you end up with an ongoing list of things to fear, which in turn, keeps you spending more and more time living in that fear and the world of I can't.
You simply need to embrace the fear, feel it, hear it, learn from it and then march on through to the other side. You are not your fears. Your desires, dreams, hopes, aspirations are who you are and you deserve all of them.
There will always be excuses as to why you can't and it's up to you to realize that's all they are, excuses. When you want something bad enough, when you know in your heart of hearts you've got to find a way, you will. You absolutely will. And, once you are in total alignment with the 'I CAN' through your thoughts, feelings, words and actions, you're just one step away from, I DID IT!

"If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford