Consider the possibilities for you to live well. They’re out there. If you’re looking. If you’re even considering that there could be possibilities. And, especially, if you don’t hit the delete button on the possibility of possibilities.

“What???” you say. Yes, you may be doing just that. Probably not realizing it. We do it pretty commonly, without really seeing what we are doing. So, let’s shed some light on that:

Take that one damning sentence you repeat a little too often about your health or your age or whatever — to yourself and/or to others — and change it. It’s that negative one you say almost without notice. Switch it to something more positive. More hopeful. It doesn’t have to be so pie in the sky that you roll your eyes when you hear yourself saying it. But it can be gentler. It can be something that opens up possibilities instead of closing doors.

Know the one I mean? Did that — Oh, no, I always say this  — pop into your mind? Yep, that’s the one. How can you switch it to be more optimistic? Optimistic and … possible.

Have no clue? Here’s an example to help: If you’re a Boomer like me, you might find yourself saying things like, “Oh, I’m too old for that.” Or, “Yeah, I’m getting kind of creaky. I’m getting older; what else can you expect?” Yikes. I cringe when I hear that. How can you expect, look for and try for better when that’s your common theme? Instead, replace that with something like, “That’s interesting; I may have to try that.” Or, “I’m always open to trying new things to keep this body going just like the Energizer Bunny!”

Also, don’t fall into the trap of finding the complaint you may have at the moment — or someone else has — and socializing about it. There are good things; find those. Find the positive. Find the possibility. Even find the answer. Because it’s there. But only if you are looking for it. And your language helps you do that.

As I was working on this, I hit one of those statements. I thought: “Uck, I feel sort of sick.” Oops. I instantly caught it, and re-thought (yes, it was only a thought, but those matter just as much as what you say out loud): “Yeah, I feel a bit sick right now, but I know I’ll feel better very soon.” Guess what thinking that way did for me? I instantly then was considering possibilities. I realized what I really needed was to get something to eat. Yes, I was pushing off eating while I got some things done. So was I sick? No, I was simply getting too hungry. This is the kind of road we go down too often, both minor, like my baby icky feeling, and more major. I feel sort of sick leads to oh, no, is something wrong with me? Leads to worry, stress and … more illness. Plus, a lot of the time, the statements aren’t even true. Like here. I wasn’t sick, I needed to eat! My stomach was empty, and it wasn’t happy.

Ready? Go! Change one sentence. One. Yes, you heard me. One! 🙂 Not everything that ever comes out of your mouth or enters your mind. Too much, and you’ll give up. But one switch will create some nice changes … and lead to more and more as your language keeps correcting to possible, not doom-able.