Our family is vacationing in Park City, Utah this month. I like sitting on the deck that overlooks a large pond that’s frequented by ducks and geese. It’s a calm, quiet place to sit and contemplate a purposeful life full of passion and purpose. Another day, I noticed that the gardener mowing the tremendous piece of land around the pond.
Let’s see…
What I found most interesting was how he made a border between the property and the pond. He left the weeds and grass somewhat high between the pond and the floor around our deck. It created a “border” for people walking by. As a matter of fact, I’ve noticed that my kids won’t cross that area. Greg and I haven’t said anything to them about the pond and this “border” created the thought, “don’t trespass.”
This got me thinking about the”boundaries” that reside within us as we walk through life. The journey from being a child to becoming an adult is one which can be full of lessons and advice that don’t always benefit us later in life. Although these messages may be full of love and good intentions, they can sometimes prevent us from crossing our very own “imaginary boundaries” into realizing our Big thoughts, dreams, and goals. Some of the messages we received from youth are harmless.
Good to know
For instance, my grandfather used to say that if your hair was wet during the night after a bath, you should not go near the window or door. He would say, “You may catch a draft of cold air and get sick with a cold.” Guess who won’t go out at night with wet hair? Yep, you got it! Other youth messages can help keep us “stuck” in our”imaginary boundaries.” Maybe you were told you’re “not good with numbers” or “you’re such a dreamer, get out of the clouds!” These messages may become our story over time and keep us in a tight space emotionally.
How we start to perceive ourselves in a young age will accompany us into adult life. For the majority of my adult life, I never really thought of myself as creative. I did not think I was very good at artwork (drawing, coloring, painting) and actually don’t have any early childhood memories of performing these actions. Up until I reached my early forties, this was my reality.
Take into account
Through my work with girls, I’ve come to understand that creativity doesn’t always mean drawing, coloring, and painting. I now realize that I’m very creative in many ways. Being an entrepreneur is one of the most creative avenues you can choose. Everyday you make decisions which grow and shape the company through a creative, problem-solving procedure. I’ve crossed my very own “imaginary boundary” and it seems great. I continue to challenge myself in several ways so I can feel loads of open space.
How about you? Have you got some “imaginary boundaries” that are preventing you from crossing over into a life full of passion and purpose? Do you end up listening to the previous messages from others that could be holding you back from reaching your potential? Is there something new that you want to accomplish but you’re not sure if you’re able to?
Conclusion
Many individuals are so afraid of failure they can’t take the first step ahead. This is where it is vital to have a private board of advisors, a mentor who could champion you, challenge your thinking about your “imaginary boundaries” and allow you to move into action. We’re capable of so much; nonetheless, many times we accomplish so little based on our own limited thinking from previous messages. Do you have boundaries that you’re fearful to cross? It’s important to see that our lives as open land with several choices available to us. Remember: It’s not trespassing if you cross your personal borders. Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.