I've come to realize that we are always quick to tell ourselves what we can and can't do. I've learned from my past that you become what you think you are. If you think you are a failure you will become a failure by default. If you think you are successful you will become successful by default. It all starts with our thoughts. I first became aware of this concept from a book called "Think and Grow Rich" by Napolean Hill. After I read the book, I started to implement what I learned.
When I turned thirty, I created a bucket list. Learning how to swim was one of the items on my list.
There was a swim coach who was trained by an Olympian that taught swim lessons 3 times a week at my gym. I changed my schedule and started taking lessons immediately. It took me about a month to learn how to swim. When my coach said I was ready to swim in the deep end of the pool, that's when fear struck me. A lot of my fear of the deep end came from my culture and hearing stories of people drowning.
Then there was another thought that placed me back into my invisible prison (fear). I kept telling myself that I didn't know how to swim. My thoughts of not knowing became my reality. When I tried to swim to the deeper end of the pool, I began to panic. All of a sudden I couldn't breath and all of my swimming skills seemed to disappear. I immediately brought my head up from the water and found my way to the side of the pool.
My coach walked over to me and asked me what happened. I told him that I didn't know how to swim. He told me that I have all the skills that was required to swim in the deep end. He told me I should relax for a couple minutes then try again. I believed what my coach told me and after a couple minutes I started to swim towards the other side of the pool. I recognized that my own negative thoughts about swimming is what made me panic. At this point I already knew how to swim, but because I kept telling myself that I couldn't, I failed every time. My biggest evil was my self doubt of my ability to swim. Once I convinced myself that I knew how to swim. I was able to swim freely.
"When we think a thought long enough, it becomes our belief, then our realty." Tracie Osborne
I just started blogging about six weeks ago. The reason I started blogging was to inspire people and to share new ways of thinking using my experience as an example. I also started this blog to become a better writer. I realized the only difference between myself and a writer is that they write more than me. Blogging gives me the platform to write as much as I choose. I post a blog once a week for now and I write a daily journal. With each passing week of writing, I am noticing improvement in my writing.
"I haven't failed I just found 10,000 ways that don't work." Thomas Edison
Each passing week is becoming easier because of all the positive and negative feedback I have received. My negative thoughts are turning into more positive ones. Now I am posting my blogs with very little help because, I am becoming more confident in my writing now. I know I can only get better. I can't wait to see how I will be writing six months from now.
There will always be fear when we are starting something new. The question is, will you move through it or will you make an excuse? Or even worse, lock yourself up in the invisible prison (fear)? The choice is yours.
Have a successful week on purpose,
Tracie Osborne
Copyright 2016 Tracie Osborne All rights reserved
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