The Sufi Poet wrote “Let go of who you are to become who you might be”.
How many times have you inhibited yourself, using excuses as nails to box yourself in? You tape this box covered with labels from the past and this does not allow you to become who you are.
We limit ourselves with criticism, internal or external, and pass by opportunities because we do not feel we are good enough. Those definitions we carry strongly affects our behavior.
“I’m shy” …so I act shy and do not speak up to voice my opinions.
“I’m just scatterbrained” ..so it lends to justification of why I am disorganized.
The stories that we tell ourself becomes ingrained pathways of thought in our minds. We replay them like recordings over and over until we see no other way to behave. After all, behavioral change is hard.
Reframing our excuses and changing our mindsets can reconstruct a new story. A flexibility story. Allow yourself the possibility of change, rather then labeling your box and shelving it to be forgotten.
“I don’t feel like it”…for the moment.
”I don’t want to”…right now
…at least temporarily …and I will feel different later.
We create possibility when we pen the story of our lives with thoughts that encourage us to replace excuses with kindness and forgiveness.
And who knows? Our excuses may turn into compassionate responsiveness, thus cultivating us to become who we are.
