HOW TO STOP NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

The Mind Loops Blog: “How To Make the Impossible Possible” – Jan 2017

Can you believe that apartment buildings, cars, and body parts like ears, kidneys and skin can be made with a 3D printer?!

That one amazing fellow (Dean Karnazes) actually ran nonstop for 350 miles! (It took him 81 hours – he even somehow slept and ran at the same time!?).

And it still astounds me that Gandhi won India’s independence from Britain not through violence and bloodshed, but through peaceful means and heart-stirring speeches.

Yes, the impossible is possible.

Which should give you some encouragement when you feel stuck, out of sorts, confused, afraid, ready to give up, ready to settle, feeling between a rock and a hard place.

The story of “impossibility” I’m about to tell you may sound mild in comparison with how I opened this blog. But I can tell you that, for my life, it was a personal turning point in my belief about what is and isn’t possible.

Last night I received an email from a long-ago boyfriend. Although several years elapse between emails, we have warmly stayed in touch. If you were to ask me the likelihood of ever dating him all those years ago, I would have laughed in your face (with an undertone of sadness). At the time, I hadn’t been asked out on a date for several YEARS. Yes, you read that right: YEARS. I was deeply lonely and wondering what on earth happened to a man courageous enough to ask for my number – let alone an awesome, talented, sexy man. You can only imagine what Mind Loops were rolling around in my head about men, love, relationships, the Universe – not to mention about myself…

I was working as Floor Director for the NBC-TV affiliate in Seattle at the time, and was told at the last minute I had to work a satellite shoot that evening. “Oh geez, really? I have plans… Okay. Where’s the shoot?” I asked glumly. A new, traveling circus was in town called the “Cirque du Soleil” and we’d be shooting in their “backstage” tent. Hmm… Hadn’t heard of them before. (No one had yet…).

When I arrived at the huge, striped tent, I was still in a grumpy mood. But the moment I walked inside and witnessed the most extraordinary acrobats I’d ever seen stretching in uncanny ways (smoking cigarettes and reading French newspapers with limbs tied up in pretzel shapes), a little smile began to appear on my face.

One acrobat in particular caught my attention. You couldn’t help but notice him: He was basically Adonis in human form. As I struggled to drag heavy camera cables around the tent, “Adonis” suddenly appeared in front of me, wearing little but a rakish grin and handing me a tin mug (which turned out to contain delicious mango nectar). In a thick Russian accent, he pointed to himself: “Vladimir. You are called?” I was so shocked, I nearly forgot my name! When I finally told him, he responded with, “I like you!” and walked away.

As it turned out, Vladimir was “The Flying Man” and was to become the star of this first Cirque du Soleil show. This unusual introduction was the start of a crazy romance between us – a real treasure in my life. Partly because it proved to me – particularly after not being asked out on a date for years – that the impossible really is possible.

Time and again in my life, I’ve witnessed the “impossible” become a reality. That doesn’t mean I don’t feel doubt or hold myself back out of fear on occasion… But I always remind myself that anything is possible, and just keep moving forward.

What about you? Is there something your heart aches to do… Or a quality or skill you’d be thrilled to possess? Something (or someone) you dream about having?

We can have dreams that feel so far-fetched, we turn our backs on them because we think, “That could never happen… so why even try?”

But, what if… it could?

What if… it DOES?

There are 4 primary steps involved with making the “impossible” become possible:

1) Get absolutely CLEAR on what it is you want to HAVE, DO, or BE. Vague desires = vague results.

• If you’re single and want to be in a relationship: What qualities in a partner would really ring your bell? Get specific: Good listener? Adventurous? Honest? Great kisser? Financially stable? Artistic? Write them down.

• How much money would you like to earn this year? Break the figure down into monthly and weekly amounts so you can see the reality of what “x amount” looks like on a concrete level. And very important: Ask yourself WHY you want this money. Otherwise the money goal will feel meaningless to you on a deeper level and you’ll lack the motivation to follow through.

• If traveling is a dream for you: Where do you want to go? “South America” is too broad. “Peru” is better, but also too broad. “Machu Picchu” is getting there…

• What quality or skill do you want to develop in yourself this year? More humor? Public speaking? An instrument? Scuba diving?

2) Next, make a plan – even a loose one – of what you’d need to do to make this dream happen. That may include saving a specific amount of money every week, reserving time to practice a new skill, taking a class, or going to events where you could meet that special someone.

3) Take ONE action step every day toward your dream. I know you’re busy! So it can be a SMALL step! Do some research on your trip, reach out to someone via email, plan, visualize. Just keep momentum up.

4) Be open to “miracles”. Keep telling yourself: “Anything can happen.” Because it can. Imagine the “impossible” becoming possible.

Of course there’s no guarantee that what you want will come in the package you envision. But something WILL happen. There’s no way it can’t if you do these 4 steps. And it may even be better than your original dream.

You’ll be reprogramming your beliefs about what is and isn’t possible, and thereby reprogramming your future.

I’d love to hear your dream and action plan if you’d like to share it! (By the way: Only share your dream with trustworthy people who also believe that anything is possible). I too have a dream for this year that I’m working on…

I’ll be sending you powerful energy towards you realizing your dream this year!

Here’s to possibilities!

Love,

Barbara

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