Forgetting to be Limited

What does it mean to be limited? That’s not an easy question, but let me try. It’s seeing yourself as being capable of doing only ‘this much’. It’s having a picture in your mind that says ‘this is who I am, this is what I do, this is all there is.’ It’s buying into the labels and definitions of the world around you.

I have more than one friend or relative who I look at and see as talented, having so much to offer. I can see their desire to explore something, or go deeper into something, and I can see their doubts holding them back. It’s hard to watch someone you care about tread water because they are too scared to take a step forward, take the risk, maybe even fall, but get up and try again. I’m no paragon either, there’s many times in my life when I know I haven’t run with the ball the way I could have.

However, we have to forgive ourselves for our past ways of being. After all, it’s difficult to think outside the box when you aren’t even aware there is a box. So having the conscious awareness to see how you might hem yourself in is the first step to change.

So here’s my plan of action for getting past a limitation:

-be aware. Be awake. Try to figure out what it is you say to yourself at the moment of making the choice ‘not to go there’. Can you figure out how you talk to yourself at that moment? Once you are aware of the thought, the next action is to talk yourself through it.

-start small. Let go of expectation. Let go of the need for drama. If you need to walk a better path, don’t plan to climb a mountain the first day. Just walk around the block. Or down the steps. Or open the door. Or put on your shoes.

-don’t expect perfection. If one is, say, for example, shy… then carrying on small talk at lunch one day might be a great goal… but if you can’t do it the next day, it’s okay. Allow yourself to grow into it.

-get help. Many of my students come to me because they need a mentor to encourage and support their journey. I try to help them become aware of their programming, move past the limitations, free themselves from the fetters of baggage and discover their true voice. It doesn’t need to be professional help – there are many support groups on the internet, forums, chat groups, your friends, etc.

-know the purpose of life is to live. Say that again. You are here to Live. To be Alive. You don’t want to wake up one day and be 80, and filled with regrets. At the same time, know that the present moment is all we have. Make sure you stop and see the flowers grow, hear the birds sing, breath the air, feel the aliveness inside of you. Be still and content for a moment, for one breath. One breath at a time.

That’s my Friday thought for this week :)