“A different man cannot have these problems…they do not belong to him.” Emmet Fox

Most of us would never think of ourselves as a victim.  Yet we are all, at times, victims to our limitation thinking.  Without much thought, we may start a statement with: “I can’t, I don’t, I’m not able to, I couldn’t, It’s not possible for me, I’ve never.” Then we complete that with “because” and tack on what seems to us to be a perfectly realistic reason for why we are not able to do something.  When we do this, we have sentenced ourselves to that limitation.  It is so imbedded in who we have become, our personality, lifestyle, and comfort level, that we don’t even recognize it as a limitation.

We believe we have been dealt a lifetime of seemingly unsolvable problems.  In our thinking, it is reasonable that we would have these issues given our history.  We might rationalize to ourselves that If you had the life history I have had, you would have these issues, too.  That is the story we tell. These negative thoughts become a habit, and with the force of our emotions behind them, our believes.  We can’t conceive of anything different.

So here is one of my limitation stories.  I was born with flat feet.  They are so flat that even I am shocked when I see my footprint with no visible arch.  As a child I was taken to doctors who put me in ugly support shoes and gave me exercises to pick-up marbles with my toes which they frankly told me would probably do nothing.  Over the years I wore artificial arches and tried many alternative temporary fixes without resolving the issue.  I had a lifetime of proof from doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who had told me that this was the truth for me – forever.  I would just have to adjust and live with the consequences. 

For years I have been saying, I am unable to balance well and could never be a runner because I have flat feet – and there’s nothing I can do about it. This was my experience and my truth.  I said it with such conviction that not one person ever argued with me.  I believed it to my core, and it has colored my activities and experiences throughout my life. 

I recently sought out a deep-facia physical and retraining therapy to resolve some pain I was having in my legs and feet.  As an afterthought, I mentioned my flat feet, which of course were obvious to see.  The practitioner made an unbelievable statement.  He told me he had had flat feet and that he had fixed the issue through this work.  This was mind-blowing – that deep physical manipulation therapy, retraining, and continued and sometimes painful exercises could begin to reverse the problem. 

It could have been a possibility that I never asked about a solution, thinking this was an insolvable problem for life.  I could also have remained a victim to my physical shortcomings – keeping my mind shut to what he offered which were wildly new ideas to me.  Instead, I was open to embracing a new way of thinking and action.  I do not know how far this will take me, but I am now walking with the intention of healing – and possibilities.

This is not just wishful thinking.  It is changing the words that you speak and think – then putting the full force of your beliefs and emotions behind a new concept about yourself and your life.  Just because you haven’t seen this possibility before does not mean it isn’t possible.

Centered Action

See if you can catch yourself in your victim speak.  Any time you say I can’t, I don’t, I’m not able to, I couldn’t, it is not possible for me, I’ve never – challenge the old reasoning.  These words keep us stopped.  On the other hand, it is absolutely valid and perhaps your truth to say, I don’t want to, or I don’t want to yet.  That is coming from choice – not limitation.  Truth is always part of your sacred life path.