Yesterday morning I was looking out of my office window at the trees in
my front yard. The trees were filled with brown, shriveled, dead
leaves. These leaves were once healthy and green. They had turned
brilliant colors under the fall sky. But now they were old and dead.
The wind was blowing strong yesterday. As the wind hit the trees, the
dead leaves came flying off. It looked liked a leaf shower. I could
almost hear the trees laughing with glee that the dead things hanging
from their branches were finally flying away.
As I watched, the thought hit me that every once in a while, we humans
need to have a clean, refreshing wind blow through us to blow off all
those dead things - ideas, attitudes, mindsets - that hang on us and
weight us down.
What kinds of dead things are hanging off your branches?
Dead Thing #1 - I Can't Do This
Do you realize that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to
do? Your mind is a powerful instrument. If you believe you can do
something, your mind is a powerful catalyst toward getting it done.
Rather than sit on your couch and repeat over and over, I can't,
start saying out loud (yes, out loud), I can do this. I am able.
Nothing is too hard for me. Once you say it enough, you'll come to
believe it. Then watch out world!
Dead Thing #2 - I Don't Know How
The people who really are rocket scientists didn't know how to build
rockets until they learned. It's OK not to know how to do something.
The problem is when we let this attitude keep us from attaining our
goals. There are many resources on the Internet, in your local
library, on your town's college campus. Take advantage of these
resources and learn how to do what you need to do.
Dead Thing #3 - I'm Stupid
My husband was told this very thing so often while he was growing up,
that eventually he came to believe it himself. Yes, some of us are
able to access more of our brain power than others, but that doesn't
mean that you are stupid. If you've heard this through your life from
others, or if you've been telling yourself this, turn this around by
repeating to yourself often throughout the day, I have the power to
learn. I will learn. Nothing can stop me. It may take you longer
than some to reach your goal, but you will get there.
Dead Thing #4 - It Will Never Happen for Me
Hogwash! If you keep repeating to yourself that nothing good will
happen to you, then, of course, nothing will. Just like when taking a
picture with your camera, what you focus on, develops in your life.
There is nothing different between you and the successful person. You
can learn to be successful. Success is more of an attitude than a
state of being. Get up every morning and say, Something good is going
to happen to me today. Look for those opportunities that sneak by and
jump on them. Be determined. If it happens for someone else, it can
happen for you.
Dead Thing #5 - I Have Nothing to Offer
You don't have to be a world-famous, multi-degreed person to be of help
to someone else. Each one of us has experiences in our lives that we
have come through. There is always someone who is still in the middle
of that same experience. Share what you have learned. Let others know
what did and did not work for you in that circumstance. You'll be
surprised at just how many people want to hear how you've overcome.
Your down-to-earth practical counsel based on experience is worth more
educated supposition.
If any of these dead things have been hanging around on your branches,
it's time to blow them off! You can change the way you thing, how you
look at life, and your attitude. It may take some time, but it's well
worth the effort.
See, don't you feel lighter already?
About the Author
Sharon Dalton Williams is the author of "How to Succeed and Live a Full
Life." Learn how to reach the goals you have set for your life and
business. Surf to http://www.sdwassociates.com to order your copy.
Learn how to use what is uniquely you in building your business.
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