Excuses, Excuses

l was sitting in my college math class tuning out my professor and wondering why l rarely get red gumballs, but more often, the gross flavors like green and yellow – and why l only ever have to pee the second l get comfortable in bed – and why my stomach only growls when l’m sitting next to a hot guy on the couch and l don’t want it to. Ya know, ordinary thought drifts – but really everything under the sun besides IPO and GAAP.

He stopped talking and held up a quarter.

“lf l flip this quarter – and it lands on tails 49 times in a row, what are the odds that the last time l flip it, l’ll get heads?”

Now l’m no math wiz, but the answer is obvious: 50/50.

“The coin has no memory.”

The coin has no memory – meaning its past does not dictate its future.

All of a sudden, these words popped into my mind:

l can. l will. l do. l am.

l’ve always known this, but in that moment, it was profound: l can change my thoughts at any time...

Change your thoughts; change your world

From cherry red gumballs to quarters to mantras; my thoughts were rapid fire.

l can. l will. l do. l am.

l can’t. l won’t. l don’t. l’m not.

The painful truth is: anything l’ve ever wanted but never gotten – boils down to 4 excuses (l can’t, l won’t, l don’t, l’m not) and 1 reason (l choose my own thoughts).

Watch…

Learning a second language:

l can’t learn Italian. l won’t ever need it so what’s the point? l don’t have any plans to visit Italy right now. l’m not good at learning languages; l was awful at Spanish in high school.

Changing my body:

l can’t lose weight. l won’t; l’ve already tried. l don’t have the energy to workout and l don’t have time to buy healthy food and even if l did, l don’t know how to cook it. l’m not committed enough.

Falling in love:

l can’t fall in love. l won’t attract the right person. lt never works out. l don’t have the time to date anyway. l’m not ready!

Traveling:

l can’t travel the world. l won’t have enough money and l won’t be able to get the time off work, and even if l did, l won’t want to leave my family/friends. I don’t even know where to start. l’m not in the right place to think about that right now.

Writing a blog:

l can’t write a blog. l won’t know how and l have nothing to write about. l don’t think anyone will read it. l’m not interesting/funny/skilled/clever/important/abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz enough.

And one more to lock it all in...

Following my heart:

l can’t just change the trajectory of my life and go after what l really want. l won’t make any money. l won’t make it. l don’t know how! l don’t want to start all over. l’m not good enough to make it. Why me?

Why do we do this? We let ourselves off the hook before we even TRY.

For real, please just stop for a second —

Really stop...

— and think of ONE thing you have always wanted to do — but immediately talked yourself out of by telling yourself:

l can’t, l won’t, l don’t, l’m not.

lf you go back through and switch the old excuses out for the new ones, it works just the same – but in your favor.

l can’t. HOW can l?

l won’t. HOW will l?

l don’t. Yes l do.

l’m not. l – am – always – good – enough.

(Take notes on that last one, people!)

Wait, is this why people go to college…? Just kidding 😉

Language is powerful.

Same as the coin: your future does not have to match your past.

l can. l will. l do. l am.

New mantra anyone?

xxo K