Wk 3 The Art of Possibility Ch 5-8: Angela Dixon

Posted by Angela: I remember when one of my daughter's was around five years old. She looked at me and said she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up. I was so happy to hear her say those words. I knew what I needed to do to help her fulfilled her dreams. However, that fairytale never came true because one of her lovely teacher cast a dark shadow over my daughter's head and told her "if you become a doctor then everyone will die!" My daughter never told me what that teacher said until years later for the fear of what I may have done. In the book of The Art of Possibility it talked about a child is an exquisite attention-getting device. (p. 82). A child relies on strong leadership to help children to discover who they are and achieve their goals. However, when that leaders or role models shatter a child’s dreams it affects them. In adulthood, unless the child has a strong will, they grow up not fulfilling their goals and live their life in a box. I like the Rule Number 6 “Don’t take yourself so seriously” because I spent most of my life trying to fit in or live my life to someone else expectation. During my undergraduate days I tried to be an overachiever and constantly let myself down. I had to do a calculating self and ask myself “Why am I not aiming for my goal and what can I do to change this problem?” Once I stop taking life so seriously that’s when I was able to aim for my goal without stressing myself out. I changed the way I thought of myself from the scarfs of my childhood life and realizing only I control my path.

My Response: Oh Angela!! I am so sorry that happened to your daughter. She had good reason to be afraid of what you would have done, because as an about to be mom, I had a few words for her “instructor”. Children believe…and I hate that we lose that boldness somewhere along the way. Their dreams are crystal clear in their mind and without a measured path most of the time. They are just worried about being what it is they said they would be. I believe had I taken more of that path of thought that I would not feel like I too spent my life trying to fit and be accepted and acceptable at all times. Even after doing things with the measurement in mind, I feel empty. Rule number 6 is my husband’s motto when it comes to my quest for an improved quality of life and a better me. I know my problem…time to overcome, without stressing myself out ☺