A certain magic seems to occur when an unshakable belief is attached to any pursuit or goal. Changes begin to occur, some almost imperceptible, others dramatic. Not with simple thinking or wishing but when truly believing.
Prior to 1954 people believed the running of a 4-minute mile was impossible. Medical authorities considered it a physical impossibility by stating that: the heart, lungs and blood vessels could not withstand that level of exertion. And, of course, no one did run a 4-minute mile… Until Roger Bannister in Oxford, England on May 6th, 1954 ran a mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds.
Breaking this self-limiting barrier changed world beliefs. Thirty-seven other runners ran a mile in under 4 minutes that same year. Over 300 other runners broke the 4-minute mile within the next two years!
Belief is the essential nutrient that all great change requires. Believe you can free yourself from negative thinking and unhealthy emotions and attain the success that you desire. Be enthusiastic in your life and with everything you do. Play. Think positively. Be proactive in your actions and you will help you to achieve your goals in the shortest amount of time.
Your imagination is a powerful companion to your beliefs. Imagine a husband is putting the car away in the garage and his wife is unlocking the front door. As she does so, she sees a shadow of a man holding a knife. She freezes. Her husband comes up behind her and asks her what’s wrong. She whispers, “There’s a man in the living room with a knife.” The husband in disbelief says, “It’s just your imagination. Go on in.” Will she?
Not on your life! The shadow on the wall may not be of an intruder, but as long as she believes there’s a prowler, she will not go in. Imagination can be so powerful that it will rule our beliefs, and our beliefs rule our behavior. When the imagination is total and complete, there is no difference from reality.
For the individual, imagination is reality. If you want to make a change in your life, one of the most powerful tools to help accelerate that change is your imagination. Since you use your imagination anyway, whether you know it or not, why not control it so you can harness its constructive energy? Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is everything.
It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Start right now to picture yourself the way you would ideally like to be.
Raise the bar, raise your standards, and reach for that unreachable star. It has been said that if you aim for the stars, you’re sure to clear the trees. So aim high! See life realistically, and then see it as being even better than it is.
Exaggerate what is possible. All people who achieved greatness had lofty goals. There is no passion in reaching for your average. Reach for what is just out of your reach. Believe in yourself and that you will do what it takes to achieve your goals.
Remember that your primary goal had better be happiness. See yourself the way you would ideally like to be and do not let that image waver in your mind.
Halloween
Halloween is here once again in a little more than a week and there are loads of adult things to do in the GTA on this spooky weekend. Simply Google “Mississauga Halloween” and you’ll find an endless amount of fun just waiting for you.
Don’t wait for the last couple of days to make plans…rent a costume now. Get dressed up and go to an event as a single and meet others or get together with some friends or your spouse.
Whatever you do, take advantage of this unique occasion. This is the one time of year, you as an adult can get dressed up in any way you wish, and go out and play and have it be socially acceptable. Let your imagination run wild, play, party and have fun.
Unfortunately, adults almost seem hesitant to be playful. It is a rare individual who makes “play” a part of their daily routine. We so often are bogged down with, what people think of as the seriousness of life.
We could avoid a lot of distress if we would treat most problems with a more light-hearted attitude. It’s important to be less serious and be more playful in nature. The philosopher Voltaire said, “God is a comedian playing to an audience that’s afraid to laugh.” Do not be afraid to be childlike and to laugh at the absurdities of life. Don’t take yourself too seriously either.
Halloween is a perfect time to put spin into your world…if only for one evening. Let this evening be a reminder for you to add more fun and play into your life.
If I asked you, “Who laughs more…a 10 year old child or a 40 year old man?” I’ll bet that you would say, in general, the 10 year old child. But not once when you were 10 did you say, “Wow, I can’t wait to grow up and laugh less.” Some how, most of us ended up there. We traded a child-like playfulness for an adult seriousness and stability.
Stability is very important…to an extent. Also, understand that after awhile, stability can be boring. Doing things differently or something completely new (like dressing up for Halloween) can add a spice to life. While balance and consistency has its pay off, it’s important to have variation and variety. Shake things up in your life from time to time. If you get up early everyday, then sleeping in late can feel decadent. Going out every night can get tiresome while staying in with a good book and a hot chocolate might be a way to pamper you. Spending the day in your sweats might feel cozy if you normally dress up for work daily.
Keep balanced. Have stability but also variety and variation in your life. Oscar Wilde once said “Life is too important to be taken seriously.” I think he is correct. Learn to laugh at yourself and your own foibles and flaws.
Treat yourself with less seriousness and so will others. There is little to ever be gained with seriousness.
Make fun and playfulness part of your attitude, your being, your very existence. Don’t just think about being more playful. Do it…and do it now…and for the rest of your life!
Daniel Rutley
Clinical Psychotherapist
Best Selling Author
Professional Speaker
