I have some good news.  Everything is in your head.

If that doesn't sound like good news, let me explain.  The key to open possiblity lies here.

Consider for a moment, the things around you.  Whatever you look at two things happen:  1) You see it: See a lamp (ignore a wall) 2) You have a name for it.  That is another way of saying you have thoughts about it.   "Lamp" may be a name we all agree on, but you still see your version.  You will find a lamp 'pretty,' 'ugly,' or 'misplaced'.

So, you actually experience the lamp (and the world) by way of your own thoughts. And thoughts show you a world of your own making. 

This does not mean you just imagined all the bad stuff in the world or in your life.  But you do make up the filter through which you view life and that's called Context. (Your pair of glasses!)

Basically, how you speak into the world (and into your head) shapes a context.  You live and move around in that context.  And context is how you interpret what's possible for you. See how this could be good news?

For example, in the context of "the world is flat" you would be a heck of a lot
less likely to sign up for a round-the-world sailing expedition. Yet, it would
be only your thoughts about a 'flat world' that would stop you. Obviously you
couldn't ever really be in a flat world, we know that now.

But, isn't it fascinating you can experience a flat world all the same? Many people did!

All you have to do is think how many people ONLY ever "experienced" the world as flat to see the power of thought and word to create your life. If everyone in
Columbus' day came back to life right now, they'd probably still try to keep you
from getting on that boat.

How you speak into the world (and into your head) shapes a context for what you
do because it tells you what's possible before you are even out the door.

And sometimes it discourages you from dangers that don't exist.

I'm in favor of relieving myself of others' opinions of what's possible. Especially as I can create my own context. Creating a context by telling myself  'lot's can happen', or 'life is for learning' helps me have a more open-ended view of life, instead of a tapestry of limiting thoughts masquerading as truth.

Who do you need to not listen to today?  And what context would you like to create?

An excuse is a thief of self-love. 
It steals your life away from you and robs you of your power. 

Why?  An excuse always explains who you are being by attributing your behavior to an outside entity. It says you are this way because of something: your partner, or 'those drivers' or 'the diary that didn't have the correct meeting time' or 'stress'.  When you make an excuse you are creating a victim out of you.

And being a victim feels awful.
 
Recently I had a look to see the role that excuses (and complaints) play in my life. You already know what happened if you read Pair #1. I put myself on an excuse fast, and as a result I now have 101 days of sharing ideas with you.

So,if you'd like to play along, see if your little thief comes in the form of excuses, complaints or criticisms.

See which one is your default setting – the place you always seem to end up.  Do you have a hard time saying No, without giving an excuse? What about requests – do you make requests with or without complaints? Or excusing yourself for asking? Do you give lots of reasons for why you can't do what you told yourself you will do.  How about when apologizing – ever had the yucky experience of someone trying to say they are sorry while making an excuse about why? -  Bleuch.  

If you can see this will be a useful for you to experiment with this,  here is a challenge:

For today declare your life an "Excuse Free Zone" or a "Complaint Free Zone".  

What does that mean?  You are on a total, 100% Excuse-fast.  No excuses. Ever. None. Nada. Zero. Nil. Never. For the whole day

Rules 

1. No excuses.  (or 'no complaints' if you prefer –  but don't do both!)
2. Notice how it is for you as you go.
3. No beating yourself up.
4. Pick a specific start time and a specific end time too

Post here if you want to share about it.

Variations on the Game
For those who want to play hardball, do the above for 7 days.

For those who want to play hardcore, here is the Total Bootcamp version:
For 7 days you declare a total Excuse Free Zone as above. 
However, if you break down and give an excuse for something at any time, even the smallest, teeniest one, you start over at day 1 and start counting 7 days all over again (yes, even if it is on day 7). You are not done with the game until you complete 7 fully excuse-free days.

Making a commitment certainly reveals just how uncommitted one is.  Don't believe me?  Commit to something.  Recently I committed to writing a book. Several times actually. What happened?

"Dear Diary,

So far it looks like I like the idea of the book more than I like the reality of getting up at 5:30 in order to have writing be the first thing I do.  BUT,  I am very committed to my book.

Hm.  Having writing be the last thing I do is not turning out either.
But lots of nice, lovely wishful thinking happened!!

Loosely fitting it in writing time during the day between tasks, is well, erm, not quite working out I notice.  This book thing sure sounds good, but looks  unlikely to happen if I continue like this. Do I or do I not want this?"

So, as I find with my clients so it is for me, the proof of whether we want what we say we want is tested by our willingness to do. (Which is why for coaching purposes, asking someone to commit and just take the first step - actually works.  At the very least you find out you don't really want it that much after all).

Having experienced the full effects of non-commital dilly dallying, I decided I do want to write my book.  And although I have decided this before and declared it, I am actually ready to be inconvenienced (get up at o'dark hundred) in order to do something I think is meaningful.

Commit Or Die.

It's me or them so... the excuses have to die.  I just take one step: I set the alarm for 5 am (so I can do some secret inner moaning for a 1/2 hour before I actually get up. And I'm only partly kidding about that). Then I create the page called "101 New Pairs of Glasses" and I begin.

***
My Supercoach Academy students are making their lives an Excuse-Free Zone for 7 days.  Join them?  More here...