Let me begin by reintroducing you to a very powerful asset that you already have. Even though you have this asset and are already using it, chances are that, like most of us, you are not utilizing it to its full potential. This asset: Your beautiful, powerful, creative mind.
God has given us our minds as a powerhouse of ideas, ruminations, calculations and possibilities. But when we should use it well, especially when we need it to help us figure out ways, we typically shut it down. Unconsciously, we mount a roadblock and don’t allow it to mull over a situation and present us with the options we desire.
For us to open up a new world of possibilities, our mindset and way of looking at things must change. Typically, we go somewhere in your mind before we go there physically. Many times, when we want to create a change that we desire, especially one that we can’t reach easily or that we consider way out of our league, we tend to shut down its possibility before we even let it take root. We give ourselves reasons why that thing cannot happen for us.
For instance, Jane, a full-time accountant and a married Mum of three, would really love to start a business as a Wellness Coach. So, when the thought comes to her mind, it would be something along the lines of:
“I’d really love to start a business as a Wellness Coach, but my full time job is time-consuming.”
Notice this: That’s the end of that conversation in her mind. Full stop. The subject has been concluded on a note of ‘not possible’.
When you think like that, you have shut the door to your powerful mind to come up with options for you, and even the Holy Spirit cannot easily access your mind on this topic. It seems to have a big, red ‘case closed’ over it.
Now, let me share with you a little trick to help activate your mind and expand your possibility thinking.
Change the word ‘but’ to ‘and’.
It seems simple, but the change is transformational. Let us look at the same example again:
“I’d really love to start a business as a Wellness Coach, and my full time job is time-consuming.”
Did you notice that change?
When you use the word ‘and’, it’s an indication that the story is not over. You can almost see an ellipsis at the end of the statement. It’s practically an invitation for your mind to brainstorm possibilities to make your desire happen. It’s like you’re presenting it with a set of facts and asking ‘what can we do about this?’
Unlike the first sentence, your mind can then come up with suggestions: Jane, can we look at running the business only on weekends? Can you create products which don’t require your full-time availability? Can you hire staff? Or negotiate fewer hours at work? You certainly have more options now.
It’s a little trick, but it can be very transformational. So, the next time you have a question or desire, even one that seems insurmountable. Don’t shut your mind down so fast. Instead, zoom out for more options. Expand your possibilities by replacing the ‘but’ with an ‘and’.
