WATCHING OUT FOR FAILURE

When I embark on a new project, or a big goal, I know that there are parts of me who want to plan for and avoid failure. My mind seems to race ahead and ask, What could go wrong here? And in that questioning, I begin to worry.

I used to think that this propensity to see failure was a problem. I thought it was my negative side coming forward to show me how I was off track. But then something happened that caused me to rethink my worrying side. I started listening in and then changing the story.

When my mind raced ahead to how this project would be so successful that I would attract naysayers and critics, I turned that story around and affirmed: Everyone will be happy with what I produce. When my mind envisioned me going after a goal using effort and hard work alone, I turned all that thinking around and imagined myself cruising to success and having fun. When my mind reminded me that I was aiming too high with my goals, I calmly settled my mind and then began to dream of what I wanted.

Worrying is something we all do. Which led me to conclude that there must be a purpose to worry. I tend to see our vast, abundant universe as being perfectly ordered, so I started with this premise: there must be a good reason that we worry.

Once I sat with that idea, I realized that worry served a useful purpose for me: It clearly and plainly shows me what I do not want to happen. And in that knowing, I can flip the script and begin to dream about what I do want to happen.

Some of us who have hit middle age think that we are done dreaming. That our best years are behind us. That we are ready to pause, slow down, and cruise into retirement.

And when we settle, we tend to start worrying. About our kids. Our health. Our finances. And our future.

My advice?

Start dreaming instead.

Turn every worry around and make up a new story of success. Take all your negative scenario planning and use it to jumpstart your positive scenario planning. Gather up all your worry and put it to work helping you to see the life you want to live.

Want to do this with assistance? Call in your spirit to help you daydream. Then, download my worry checklist and use it to convert all your negativity into something positive. For you.