Changing How We Think About What is Possible

When you imagine what would make your life better, what comes to mind? Is it removing something from your life?

This is often where people start. This is true with physician coaching clients (fewer appointments, less inbox work, no call!), as well as with patients, especially in my obesity work (no carbs, no sugar, no French fries!). We naturally notice what seems to be “the problem” because we know that we have some feelings when “the problem” is happening (or before it happens….or afterwards…..).

But let me ask you this.

How much control do you have over removing that thing? Yes, you could quit your job, leave medicine, never go to a restaurant, live as a hermit. But assuming you don’t do those things, how easy is it to remove “the problem?”

Not easy, huh?

It seems easy; it seems like if we just could tell people to stop asking for stuff, stop getting sick, stop getting pregnant, etc….but I think you know how that goes.

So let’s tackle this differently. Instead of focusing on “the problem,” what would you rather have instead? In other words, what can you imagine adding to your life?

A friend of mine was feeling stuck on this. An amazing Fertility Specialist, she has created her own practice that is thriving in a city she was told “it would never work.” But she was getting hung up on persistent feelings of overwhelm, that there was no room for herself in her life, that she was too busy for exercise, self-care, etc. “If I could just be more efficient….” Sound familiar?

She didn’t need to be more productive or efficient. What she needed was to know what she wanted more of and to figure out how to get it.

And now? She hired a nanny (who can also do date nights a few nights per month). And a trainer (so she would actually have dates/time for exercise and lose money if she didn’t follow through). And some more help in her office (delegate, clear expectations, safe supportive growth environment for staff.

And how do you think that feels?

And what do you think happens to her ideas about what’s possible for her? 😲

I’ve seen this happen for lots of people when we start digging into changing our ideas of what’s possible. Is life suddenly magical and problem free? Of course not. But this work enables us to open up our gifts and our magic and stop getting stuck in the muck/💩.