Archive for the ‘Possibility’ Category

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right.
To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Do what You can with what You have from where You are now.

Bryan Gaynor, computer science major of Kennesaw State University, Georgia, has a secret love.  Dance.  He also has a not so secret health issue, scoliosis, which influences his dancing.  Bryan is charismatic and instantly endearing with an obvious passion for life, music, and most especially dance.  He knows the secret of success as has collaborates with his body and creates a unique dance style that stirs the hearts of audiences worldwide.

“You’ve taken your physical appearance, your size, and everything else and you’ve used it to your advantage brilliantly.  What else could anyone ask of you.  That was just sensational.  Brilliant!”

~ Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance ~

Bryan Gaynor’s So You Think You Can Dance Audition – “Ain”t No Other Man”, Christina Aguilera

Bryan Gaynor’s So You Think You Can Dance Audition – “Fireflies”, Owl City

Bryan Gaynor & Remote Kontrol

Bryan chooses to believe in the beauty of creation, the power of art, and Love, his love for dance.  Bryan parented an entirely new form of dance because his dance was too much a part of him to let it go.  He made a way and inspires others in the process of doing what he loves.

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Taylor Swift is another prime example of someone who has created her own road.  Taylor’s decision early on to become a country star stayed her focus upon her goal transforming every block into a stepping stone.  She shattered the music industry’s illusions by going against everything she was “supposed to be” to succeed.  Taylor channeled her feelings of social outcast into teaching herself guitar and writing songs, developing her trademark candor ultimately catapulting her to international success.  Taylor’s determination to live her passion led her to create an entirely new sound that redefined the music industry worldwide.

What if we listen to our dreams and passions?  What if we allow our talents to lead us?  What if we believe in ourselves?  What if we know we are enough and feel lovable and worthy of every blessing intended for us?  What if we chose to perceive everything a gift of wisdom helping us to live our dreams?  What if we celebrate what is going right and use our strengths to bless one another?  What if we choose to believe life is happening for us?  What if we make a conscious choice to exchange being victimized for being victorious?

I made a life-altering decision this year …to find the blessing and to choose Love and Peace in every situation.  It required something unexpected …for me to be gentle with and kind to myself.  Those who know me would suggest it is an understatement when I say I was harshly self-analytical consistently focusing on what could be improved and how to improve it.  I was in a constant mindset of “not enough” being critical of everything because I believed it was motivating me to grow.  My spirit, one day, grew very weary of feeling as though it simply could never measure up, and it said, “Time to rest.”.  Spirit is our life force and pretty much runs the show.   “Now what,” I asked?  Spirit said, “You are Beloved, so just Be.  Be Love and Be Loved.”

Everything changed in an instant, and I began to see more clearly exactly how loved we are that God/J created an entire universe as our classroom and playground.  We are here to grow and learn, and beauty and strength is found in our imperfections.  My entire paradigm shifted, and everyday has become a gift.  How am I growing?  What am I learning?  Who am I becoming?  I choose to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness and focus on the positive.  I also seek to identify the blessings in everything, which sometimes requires creativity and deeper thought.

I used to think acknowledging one’s strengths was conceited, narcissistic, and self-aggrandizing and was certainly surprised to discover the opposite was true.  There is a difference between touting one’s self from a position of insecurity versus being grounded in peace and true self-love, and it is okay if it sometimes takes the former to get to the later.  Self-Love is fruit from the Tree of Life, which nourishes one to be a blessing to others.

“Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love”, a heartwarming story by Larry Levin, chronicles Oogy’s harrowing tale of barely surviving after being baited for fight dogs.  He was left in a cage for five days without food or water with a hole in his head and other serious wounds.  Oogy eventually connected with an amazing family, who adopted him as one of their own.  Levin pondered, “I’ve often wondered what kept this dog going – this dog, who never knew any human warmth or kindness …and he couldn’t stop kissing us.”  He is an excellent example that imperfection provides a greater opportunity to connect more deeply, heart-to-heart, spirit-to-spirit.  Levin shares, “Oogy is a sign of encouragement because inevitably everyone’s going to go through some horrible stuff in their lives.  You just can’t skip it.  This dog is living proof that you can go through the most obscene experience and come out okay on the other side and find love on the other side.”  Oogy’s story confirms the reality that we are all spiritually connected, beyond the physical, reminding us that, at our core, we are Love.

Larry Levin talks about Oogy

Faith is easy when things go well.  Love is simple when people behave lovingly.  What about when someone or something is imperfect?  Do we give up, walk away, write it off, or do we recognize the opportunity for deeper Love?  Do we celebrate the beauty, strength, and gifts in imperfections?  Choosing Love goes beyond, helping our hearts, minds, and spirits mature.  Love nurtures potential, recognizes possibilities, and is the seed for miracles.  I choose Love.

May You see yourself through the eyes of our brilliant Creator understanding You are a glorious gift and a blessing in the world.  Know your “flaws” are “on purpose”, beautiful to the Creator, and offer You the opportunity to Love yourself more deeply in order to Love others more genuinely.  Imperfections are greater windows through which Love can flow.  May You celebrate the unique and wonderful treasures You bring to the world.  May You courageously be your marvelously authentic self  radiating brilliant light and inspiring others to shine with You.  May joy, Love, and peace fill your heart, mind, soul, and universe.  Know You are cherished, exquisite, and protected.  You are a divine miracle.  You are BeLoved.        ღ

©2011 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach helping celebrities, VIPs, and You celebrate your inner superstar and manifest destiny.  Ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams.  Please visit www.susanstackpole.com for free resources on living your best life.  Sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips on manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan to map your destiny today.

“I’ve got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise, and who knows what the tide will bring?”

~ Chuck Noland, Castaway ~

Do you enjoy films? I do. Very much. I especially savor movies that magically transport me to another world entirely. Amazingly, I seem to learn the most about myself in films that are far-removed from my reality, perhaps because my brain relaxes and views life from a broader perspective. The walls disintegrate, and the silly rules behind which I hide to protect myself from the illusion of fear dissolve. I dance gleefully in the garden of possibilities delighting in the luscious trees ripe for harvest. I swim freely in the ocean of peace as sunshine glistens upon me as if to say, “It’s alright.” My dreams transform into glittering stars frolicking upon an infinite ebony canvas basking in the moon’s radiance. I am transported, enthralled, and empowered by the sheer force of the human will’s survival instinct. I am inspired as determination, perseverance, and persistence emanate. My heart, much like The Grinch’s, grows exponentially as Love, once again, is the catalytic for miracles with a dual existence as both a reason to hang on and to let go. I am transported, transformed, and renter my body renewed and refreshed with greater insight into myself and deeper wisdom about life.

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged

to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

~ Nelson Mandela ~

Castaway is the story of Chuck Noland, played by Tom Hanks, who is stranded on a desert island …for years. The story profiles the strength and innovation of the human spirit to keep pressing forward, or as Chuck says, the determination to “keep breathing”. His journey is one of courage, determination, vulnerability, and total self reliance sans modern conveniences and expert input. Chuck’s return to “normal” life is particularly striking as he finds himself lost in places that were once comfortable and familiar. “Home” and “Self” become question marks as he searches within and outside of himself to rediscover and redefine his life.

“Who am I?” “Where is home?” are two questions Castaway offers for viewers to answer for themselves, taking it a step further, inquiring, “Who would you be, and how would you define home if your world was suddenly turned upside down?” Chuck’s character is a metaphor for every person on the planet. Everyone is lost in one sense or another and searching for self and home. All people are wayward travelers plucked from the ether and gifted with the opportunity to experience the journey to self. Self is discovered through the mirrors of relationships infused in every facet of life. Every living being in existence begins with a seed, an individual blueprint, guiding it to grow into unique creation, a watermelon, a tree, an animal, a person, etc.. The primary purpose of life then becomes one of “being” in which on comes to know self .

“Fabulous, Rich, and Homeless” a television show on Planet Green, profiled several prominent, successful, wealthy social figures as they voluntarily became homeless. The arduous experiment revealed surprising results, and the participants almost unanimously cited the issue’s root stems largely from missing identity and no sense of community. It suggests a primary definition of “self” and “home”, even artificial, is crucial in developing the confidence. curiosity, and stability from which to springboard and further explore and expand one’s self-awareness.  True freedom is when one recognizes the interconnectedness of all beings, which reveals that one’s sense of self and home are ultimately however one chooses to define them independent of external circumstances.

What if we recognize we are all castaways searching for ourselves on our journey home? What if we encouraged, inspired, and uplifted one another? How would our attitudes and behaviors change if we viewed every person as a cherished friend and trusted travel companion? Would we be more open-minded and understanding toward one another? Would we be more willing to help others? Would Love unite us as one big family by celebrating our diversity as beautiful threads weaving the world’s magnificent tapestry?

I declare myself a “castaway”. I am casting away anxiety, apprehension, doubt, fear, hesitation, and judgment of others and replacing it with adventure, exploration, joy, kindness, and Love. I am casting away living as a human doing and choosing instead to live as a human being. I am releasing preconceived notions of who I think I am supposed to be and instead acting as The Creator’s Beloved. I am nurturing that special seed inside me that “knows” allowing it to grow into what it was destined to be while praising the glorious journey on which it has brought me. I am forgoing shrinking in fear and instead opening my heart in Love as a conduit for manifesting a magnificent masterpiece. I am casting away my yesterdays and tomorrows and celebrating the blessings and miracles in this moment. Here’s to doing less and being more, to knowing “self” and “home” are a choice, and to casting away fear to live in Love.

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach helping celebrities, VIPs, and You manifest destiny.  Ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams.  Please visit www.susanstackpole.com for free resources on living your best life.  Sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips on manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan to map your destiny today.

“Cages or wings, which do you prefer?  Ask the birds.

Fear or Love, baby?  Don’t say the answer.

Actions speak louder than words.”

~ Jonathan Larson – “Louder Than Words” Tick, Tick …Boom! ~

(click here for video)

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“Doesn’t it all go by in a blink?” ~ William Parrish Meet Joe Black

Life is…Strong.  Spontaneous.  Purposeful.  Precious.  Loving.  Joyful.  Fleeting.  Fragile.  Beautiful.

It seems yesterday I was a gawky, zealous six year old awkwardly scrambling up trees tracing animal shapes in cottony clouds.  Seemingly overnight stars transitioned from wishing vehicles to the methodology by which one determines suitable hotels and restaurants.  Carefree days became angst-filled teen years, the precursor to identity-shifting adulthood.  Decades evaporated in a blink.  Confidence became caution.  Playfulness became purpose.  Dreams became disappointments.  Letting go became holding on.  Yes became no.

Children are naturally inclined to say and believe in “Yes”.  Yes, I can fly.  Yes, let’s play.  Yes, let’s pretend.  Yes, we are friends.  Yes, I will be president.  An abandoned refrigerator box becomes a spaceship, a clubhouse, an automobile …a dreammobile.  Possibilities are everywhere dripping from the vine of life ripe for the picking.  Parents and authority figures say, “You can do and be anything you desire.”  That is, of course, until we don our superhero cape crafted from the dining table fine linen as we leap from the second-story window onto the trampoline and into the pool believing we are saving the world in a single bound.  We grow into adults and become inundated with rules and restrictions “for our own good”.  We censor ourselves to please parents and teachers.  We edit ourselves to be more acceptable to friends.  We abbreviate ourselves for the workplace.  We numb ourselves for relationships.  We become alternate versions of ourselves confused by own life choices as we wake up one morning wondering how we got here.

Film has a beautiful ability to transport us outside ourselves offering us the opportunity to witness ourselves more clearly as we identify with colorful characters on the screen.  “The Boys Are Back”, is an endearing film in which Clive Owen plays Joe Warr, a widower, raising his son alone.  Joe vacillates between licking his own wounds and nurturing his son.  The movie speaks to the unpredictability of life, the vulnerability of asking for help, and is a sweet reminder that we are all doing the best we can with who we are and what we’ve got.  The vastness and infinite capacity of the human heart to Love intermittently weaves tenderness and truth throughout reminding us that life is a dish best served living passionately and wholly.  Colorfully scrawled across Joe’s refrigerator a child’s alphabet magnets spell, “Just Say Yes”. The phrase cleverly referenced from a youthful perspective suggests it is the openness of youth that fully embraces the “Yes, Life” philosophy.

“Just Say Yes.”

Yes is …bursting with possibility, exciting, exhilarating, freeing, invigorating, life-altering, rejuvenating and wonderful.

How easily we become engrossed in the busyness of life convincing ourselves it’s really living.  Budgets, errands, housework, obligations, and projects occupy thoughts and create an infinite “to do” list.  How quickly our feathers ruffle in petty squabbles with family members, friends, and coworkers.  How much we ponder inadequate thoughts of “if”, “then”, and “when”.  If it works out, then I’ll be happy. I’ll be happy when… How much time we invest in distracting ourselves from really listening to our hearts.  How quickly we abandon our dreams for practical choices that later require us to devise some elaborate escape from our self-crafted birdcage.  How willingly we mire ourselves in nonsensical things that in the end amount to little more than distractions.  How guilty we feel for indulging in life’s pleasures, in savoring moments, convincing ourselves we should be more …more efficient, more organized, more successful, etc..  We sacrifice adventure and whimsy for the “known” because we’ve convinced ourselves change is somehow unnatural or negative.  We become hypnotized by fear, holding on to our illusions about self and the world, nervous about change, pruning and miniaturizing our wings like bonsai trees.

How quickly our priorities shift when there is a perceived loss of some sort.  The sudden removal of someone or something from our lives seems to open wide a vast chasm for self-introspection into which we either delve deeper for a closer view or recoil abruptly horrified.  Loss is a license to drop the veil, to cast away illusions, to allow ourselves to just be.  Powerlessness and mortality are met by divinity us staring squarely in the face, asking, “Now what?  Now that you know, what will you choose?”  We have the opportunity to choose faith or fear.  Faith is claiming our desires, professing our blessings, proclaiming our championship with tangible results to appear only after our leap.  Fear magnifies the worst-case scenario with all the grit and gore of a scary movie, rooted in the identity-crisis, “who will I be if this happens?”  Fear is only no, and faith is always yes.

Every event offers an opportunity – the opportunity to decide the meaning we will attach to it.  The meanings we choose formulate our thoughts, which generate feelings that power actions to form habits and become the character that ultimately determines our legacy.  I’ve begun thinking about the legacy I am creating every day and what will remain behind when I am no longer in this physical body.  I used to choose based on what I’d hoped others would think of me. Lately, I’ve been asking myself what I’d like the movie of my life to be.  How am I investing my time, resources and energy?  What type of person am I choosing to be?  Am I being a blessing in the world?  I’ve moved from reacting to responding and recognizing my opportunity to plant Love seeds every day.

It seems that what goes by in the blink of our life is Love.  Love usurps the logical and rational.  It mystifies and mesmerizes.  It is the stuff of epic novels and love songs.  Love is fodder for fantasy and miracles.

Love is… the only legacy.

Just Say Yes.

©2010 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach for celebrities, VIPs, and people serious about getting results and living their best lives.  Are you ready to ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams?  If so, please visit www.susanstackpole.com where you’ll find free resources for living your best life.  While you’re there, sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips for manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan today for more information on mapping your destiny.

Aloha.

Thank You for your joining me here in our cozy corner of the world.  My wish is that you feel inspired, joyful, loved, and peaceful.  May the summer possibilities free your heart.

Relax.  Breathe.  Allow your dreams to come out and play.

Today’s topic is something people have studied for centuries.  It is an idea that has ignited many a passionate discussion and about which numerous books have been written from varying points of view.  I feel, in my humble opinion, it boils down to making a singular choice and committing one’s self fully to that choice, which, in theory, sounds simple, though seems to require a delicate balance of patience, self-discipline, and skilled application.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

I was reminded of this very thing this past week as I found myself overly concerned regarding a specific decision.  I was examining various possibilities and entertaining various scenarios, concerned with making the “right” choice while simultaneously fretting a bit and jubilantly rejoicing the changes forthcoming.  The thought struck me that real character is claiming one’s own resourcefulness and trusting one’s own ability to choose wisely.  It is ultimately saying, “Yes, I can, and I will” in thought, feeling, and action.  True character, then, is walking in faith, knowing that all shall be well.  I very clearly became aware that if I really and truly walk in faith, then fear is an illusion keeping me from living my dreams.  If I really walk in faith, worry is only an insignificant thought.  If I were living in faith, deep in my core would be a resounding peace that everything will always be okay regardless of circumstance or outcome.

It sounds so deliciously simple and blissfully easy, like a young child skipping through a daisy field, a simple choice, and if so, then why do I still sometimes question and doubt?  Why am I quick to jump in when fear offers to chauffeur me around for a while?

Faith is easy when everything is going well, but then it’s not really faith, is it?  “Going well” is simply a matter of perspective anyway.  It’s easy to believe in something which you already see happening.  What about believing everything is working out for the good even when it feels like the world is ending?   What about trusting in divine power when the only reason for resilience is the whisper of a prayer carried safely on the wings of angels nestled in the hope that someone, somewhere will send relief?

Faith believes …always.  That  is faith.

The Princeton Dictionary defines faith as “a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny” or “complete confidence in a person or plan etc”

Okay.  That is about as inspired of a definition as waiting all week to dine at a new restaurant only to discover that the cardboard from a microwave dinner has more texture and tastes more flavorful than whatever they attempted serve up as a gourmet meal.  We’re talking FAITH here, people!  Faith, you know, that little thing that allowed Jesus to walk on water.  Faith – the fire that inspired pilgrims to risk their lives crossing foreign waters to establish a country based on equal rights.  Faith – the passion inside visionaries like the Wright Brothers, who kept going even when everyone said it couldn’t be done.

Faith believes in miracles and possibilities.  It trusts blessings are forthcoming in your life.  It steps forward out of hesitation into possibility.  It surrenders to a divine power and allows itself to receive help.  Faith recognizes and welcomes opportunities availing themselves.  Faith displays a peacock’s flair of splendid attributes, and though visually exquisite as they may be, absorbing and integrating them as part of one’s being is another matter entirely.

Here’s how I like to check and see if I’m living faith.  Notice I said “living faith” instead of “living in faith”.  I feel when you fully embrace something you become it, which in this case is living, breathing faith in motion.  Okay – here’s how I check myself.  Have you ever in the history of your life asked yourself, “Hmm. I wonder if gravity is working today.  Maybe  I’ll jump from a ridiculously high structure just to be sure.”  Silly, right?  Well, that’s faith – certain, solid belief.  I’ll admit, sometimes I’m tempted to look for signs to “test” if my prayers are being heard.  The ego jumps in with all sorts of questions, sidetracking with mental rubbish.  Will this opportunity work out?  What do I do now?  Will I be okay?  The ego is especially famous for his “what if” questions in every possible variation, which it knows will distract me for hours as my analytical brain attempts to untangle the ridiculously tangled ball of twine.

True faith is a resounding, “Yes, I know I am okay whatever happens.”  Faith knows with absolute certainty that life is happening for you, that even the most challenging circumstances are creating something in your life that is meant to help you.  Someone once told me that God only allows suffering that brings us closer to divine wisdom.  If this is true, it further suggests that everything happens for our greater good and that faith, theoretically speaking, is a stroll in the park. This is such a deeply profound concept that I shall revisit it at another time when I can offer it spotlight and center stage for closer inspection.

For me, two people whom I feel are outstanding examples of living faith are Nick Vujicic http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org and Bethany Hamilton  http://www.bethanyhamilton.com.

Nick Vujicic was born without any appendages, with the exception of one digit protruding from his hip.  He faced extremely dark times in his life and cites his faith as the reason he has kept going.  Nick is a college graduate and travels around the world speaking to groups about the power of getting up every time you fall.

Bethany Hamilton is a self-professed soul surfer who, in her early teens, lost an arm in a tiger shark attack of the Hawaiian coast.  Weeks prior to the attack, Bethany recalls a conversation with her Mom, in which she said she felt as if God was going to use her in a special way.  When asked if she wishes the attack didn’t happen, she replies without hesitation, “No”.  Bethany goes on to say that she’s living her life in a righteous way being of service to others and perhaps, had it not occurred, she would be tempted to step off the path she knows God has for her.  Bethany continues to compete in surfing contests, and a feature film is being made about her life.

Faith honors that small, still voice inside that says, “Yes, You can.”

The 64th Tony Awards is the perfect example of faith in action.  Millions watch as actors, dancers, composers, directors, producers, set-designers, vocalists, writers, and more gather together to celebrate the magic of Broadway.  Thousands of talented performers wade their way through countless auditions, subsisting on soda, saltines, and Ramen noodles while cramming themselves, a half dozen at a time, into a miniscule one bedroom apartment in search of realizing the golden dream …and what keeps them going?  Faith.

“This is the stuff dreams are made of.” ~ Eddie Redmayne

Scarlett Johansson, upon winning her Tony Award, thanked Liev Schreiber, for teaching her to, “Never anticipate anything,” and while she’s describing acting, it’s also a fitting definition of faith.  Faith believes we’re supported in discovering within ourselves a wealth of strength and resourcefulness to process whatever comes along; therefore, there is no need to anticipate anything.  How freeing it would be to get to that place of simply existing, trusting the process, and being peaceful, , and as Julian Norwich says, “…and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

“Be here now.” ~ Ram Dass

One of my favorite movie moments is in Evan Almighty, in which God explains how prayers are answered.  I’ll close with thought this to ponder.

“Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?”

What is faith?  Faith believes in miracles while walking in possibility knowing Love answers all things.

©2010 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Want to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach for celebrities, VIPs, and people serious about getting results and living their best lives.  Are you ready to ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams?  If so, please visit www.susanstackpole.com where you’ll find free resources for living your best life.  While you’re there, sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips for manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan today for more information on mapping your destiny.

Aloha.

Thank You for taking time to be with me here.  I believe you found this article for a reason.  My wish is that you feel cherished, loved and inspired.  May you curl up in soft clothes, settle into a cozy chair, sip a delicious beverage, and allow your dreams to come out and play.

Well… here goes…

The onset of summer brought with it a brief discussion with one of my youth mentees about why we both adore summer.  Is it the sweet breeze gently wafting the billowy sheer curtains of an open window as one enters a coma-like state of sleep after a day of outdoor fun?  Is it the beach, festivals, marshmallows roasts, parks, picnics, pools, and vacations?  It’s all that and more.  Summer is possibility.

Possibility is defined by Princeton Dictionary as “a future prospect or potential, as in, ‘this room has great possibilities’, and also as “the capability of existing or happening or being true.”

What is possibility?  Possibility is so many things.  Possibility is the blank canvas fully submitting itself to an eager artist.  Possibility is an empty parcel of land that becomes a glorious estate in the capable hands of a talented architect.  Possibility is a holiday weekend with a full tank of gas and the open road wrought with raw adventure sprung to life by the driver’s whimsy.

Paper represents possibility.  Years ago, it was the crisp virgin ivory sheet of paper inching along the scroll of a typewriter, excitedly awaiting the indentation of black letters sprawling across it like musical notes on a staff telling a story.

The paper thoughtfully ponders its future, wondering, “Will I be the next great novel?”  It smiles, considering, “Perhaps I shall announce a baby’s birth.”  Solemnly, it stands tall, puffing out its pristine chest, declaring, “I will be a newspaper and share information with the world.”

Ancient people chiseled on stone tablets.  Ancestral laborers pounded out papyrus.  Today, paper’s mass production has become almost synonymous with it being taken for granted.  Paper is now a glaring snowy rectangle on a square electronic screen waiting emotionless as the beckoning cursor flashing, imploring someone to write something meaningful.

Possibility is woven into the fiber of every moment.  It is found in every action, breath, feeling, heartbeat, sound, and thought.  Possibility is choice, freedom, hope, the belief in miracles, and sometimes the only thing that keeps some people going.  Possibility is the expanding belief in what can actually happen.  Possibility is that instant when life changes in a flash in such as astonishing way that it fully engages all the senses and calls one to action.

“Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Congratulations, it’s a boy!”

“Ms. Watson, You’ve been promoted to a new position in Paris.”

“Mr. James, Your book is being published.”

And so on.

Possibility is about that bit of magic, that spark which ignites passion and brings new creation into existence.   Possibility is walking in faith, knowing that every situation has the potential to be a miracle.  A dash of faith, a smidgen of trust, sprinkled with a generous helping of belief, and, voila, dreams become reality.

Possibility has the heart of a child, the cleverness of a crafty schoolboy, and the savvy of royalty.   Possibility is activated by honoring the quiet voice inside.  It sometimes is being deliciously self-indulgent, which, in turn, can and does change the world by inspiring others to honor the dreams in their heart.

“Eat, Pray, Love” is the story of possibility.  It’s the story about a woman discovering herself and the secrets of happiness, serenity, and love, of course.  Some may say her journey was incredibly selfish, yet that journey led to a best-selling book that inspired thousands of people and has become movie starring Julie Roberts, which will go on to inspire thousands more to live their best lives.  It has created for her more possibilities and the opportunity do more of what she adores …writing.

You posse something rare and beautiful and unique to you – your heart, wherein exists possibility and the guidance to find your way in this world.  Each of has what I call a Heartstar™, a dream seed planted in our hearts before we were born.  It holds the secret of who we are and why we’re here.  It’s the origin of passion and keeper of dreams.  People are passionate about all sorts of wonderful things – flying kites, racing cars, riding horses, making music, creating art, dancing, interior decorating, designing buildings, healing people, and the list goes on and on.  Visionaries fuel possibility with passion and bring dreams to life.

Is it selfish to pursue your dreams?  I used to think so, and now I feel quite strongly that the opposite is true.  It’s selfish not to pursue your passion.  It is self-absorbed to allow fear to prevent you from growing the dream seeds in your heart.  How can I say this?  Because it used to be me.

What if Rosa Parks didn’t get on the bus that day?  What if Thomas Edison gave up?  What if the Wright Brothers believed everyone who said they couldn’t fly?  What if The Beatles quit after a few disappointing gigs early in their career?  Why do visionaries succeed?  Possibility.  Bill Gates and Richard Branson, two of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, are motivated completely by their passion for transforming possibility into reality.

What does it meant to live in possibility?  It means believing.  It means honoring that desire to learn a language simply for the fun of it.  It means honors the urge write a novel simply for the delight of it.  It means doing things that manifest joy in your heart and peace in your spirit.

I used to think life had a specific set of rules, and I would be rewarded for following those rules.  I’m not talking about spiritual guidelines.  I’m talking about mirage of the corporate job with shining benefits and happy retirement.  I’m talking about the vision of the house with the white picket fence, a tire swing, and 2.5 children playing in the yard. I’m talking about the things we tell ourselves we desire because they are supposed to bring us happiness.

Follow the rules, get a gold star.  Disobey the rules, get a red check.  For a long time, I followed these imaginary rules and life seemed difficult and filled with disappointment and suffering.  I was miserable, and it didn’t make sense because I was doing what I thought I was supposed to be doing.   To clarify, when I say,”miserable”, I don’t mean just a twinge of sadness here and there.  I mean it got to where I was enveloped by an inky Armageddon cloud to the point I no longer saw value in breathing.  My heart was literally dying for me to listen.  And I did.  And I’m glad I did because I began to understand what it means to truly live in possibility.

Julie & Julia touched the deepest recesses of my heart.  It is a delightfully transformational tale of living in possibility and illustrates what it really means to fully live by savor every morsel of life.  It echoes the resiliency of the human spirit, stripping away everything and finally becoming ourselves by stepping into possibility.  It is about doing what we love for sheer pleasure; setting our own course for adventure and allowing it take us where it will.  It is getting up every single time we fall and learning lessons.  It is destiny pulling us.  It’s awakening to who we are and have always been.  Julie & Julia teach us that by stepping into possibility, by taking time to be self-involved, by honoring that still voice inside us, which sometimes screams to be heard, we are able to be more, give more, and live the life intended for us.

If you’re still with me, perhaps you’ll relate to what I’m about to share.  I became a people pleaser early in life because I thought putting others first meant a complete disregard for self.  I realized much later that each of us is responsible only for our own well-being, and if we all did that, we could give and receive much more fully and healthfully.  Happiness is a choice not a condition.

It was accepted and expected during that time that I was the 24/7 emotional mini-mart.  People would pull up, spiritually refuel and then disappear without a trace.  I unknowingly participated because I thought that’s what it meant to put others first.

“You must first fill your cup before you can share anything with others” is something one of my most cherished gal pals says.  I finally understood what that meant the day everything literally came to a halt.  I’ll spare the details; however, suffice it to say that I gave until I was completely empty.  My heart physically boycotted.  The store closed.  The shelves were empty.  The windows and doors were boarded up.  The parking lot was vacant.  …and I felt completely on my own.   The people I most thought would be there for me were the first to turn their backs, or worse, kick me when I was down.  It was a huge wake-up call for me in terms of how I was living my life and nothing was working anymore.

The truth was, it hadn’t been working for a long time, and I was busy running away to avoid dealing with it.  I’d been miserable for much longer than I would admit to anyone, and I was working diligently to help everyone else live their dreams because I was too scared and didn’t know how to live mine.  I’m grateful because that experience transformed my life.  It taught me about possibility and gave me a second chance to be the person I came to be in this life.

I believe Love has a voice and that it’s the voice inside our heart that knows who we really are and guides us to live our true purpose.  Love is the voice that sometimes sounds crazy, which our brains attempt to rationalize.  Love is the voice we sometimes pretend not to hear when it asks us to expand our comfort zone.  Love is the voice that lets us know when we are “off the path”; even though we do everything we can to convince ourselves we’re “on the path”.  Love is the voice that sings our heart songs, reminding us who we are in our core.  Love is the voice that tells us why we are here.  Love is the voice that reminds us we’re all the same.   Love is the voice of Possibility.

©2010 Susan Stackpole

www.susanstackpole.com

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Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach for celebrities, VIPs, and people serious about getting results and living their best lives.  Are you ready to ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams?  If so, please visit www.susanstackpole.com where you’ll find free resources for living your best life.  While you’re there, sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips for manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan Stackpole International today for more information on mapping your destiny.