The morning light filters through the curtains and you awaken from what seemed like a tranquil night's sleep, feeling somewhat rejuvenated. As your consciousness gradually starts to return, a tinge of unease flickers within you, wondering what lies ahead in the day. Fortunately, it's Wednesday, and the thought that your first meeting isn't until 9:00am brings a bit of relief. You just need to tend to your sweet little pets, ensure the kids are ready for school, get yourself organized for the workday ahead, and make your way to the office. It seems like you're off to a promising beginning.

As you drive to work, you see an advertisement on a billboard of a prosperous local entrepreneur radiating with pride as he accepts an award in honor of his thriving business. The sight captivates your attention. At first, you’re filled with admiration for his achievements. However, like a lurking shadow, a negative thought creeps into your mind, whispering doubts into your ear. I'm a bad ass thought, I will take over your brain.

"You will never reach that level of success," the voice insidiously murmurs, attempting to sow seeds of insecurity. It reminds you of past failures and setbacks, causing a pang of apprehension in your chest. Remember that time you almost opened your own eclectic pizza shop? The negative thought continues, "Why bother trying? You don't have what it takes. There are a dozen pizza joints in the area. There’s too much competition."

As you arrive at work, the advertisement on the billboard lingers in your mind, serving as a reminder that you never took a chance to pursue your passion. As you shift your focus towards the day ahead, you acknowledge the stark reality that bills need to be paid. Suddenly, that 9:00am meeting feels like a heavy burden and you can hardly stay focused. What a terrible day. Why bother?

Reflection

What a way to start the day! You’re not even in the building, yet you have already defeated yourself. What happened?

That one little dirty (and not so little) thought that just won't get out of your head, no matter how hard you try, stops you from moving forward. It derails you from having hope. It prevents you from thinking of solutions that you would easily think of if you didn’t tell yourself this. It encourages you to throw in the towel. What is it?

It’s “I can’t”. I can’t think of anything. I can’t succeed. I can’t get over this relationship. I can’t open a new pizza restaurant because I need to pay the bills. It’s the dirty little thought that is not true.  You CAN succeed. You can move on. You can if you remember to tell yourself you can.

Have you ever been in a situation like this where you felt like you were stuck, and nothing seemed to work? You know, that moment when you're trying to move forward, but there's this one little dirty thought that just won't get out of your head?

I know you're thinking it.

You're thinking, "I can't."

But you're wrong. You CAN—and you will!

It's simply a matter of starting with the right mindset and then taking action to get where you want to be. The truth is, you already have everything you need inside of yourself to make your dreams come true. It's just that sometimes we need a little help getting there. We just need to remember that we are not defined by our doubts, but by our determination to overcome them. In the end, it's about having faith in ourselves and our abilities. It's about realizing that we have the power to rewrite our own narrative, to shatter the limiting beliefs that hold us back, and to pave our own path towards success and fulfillment. Although it may not transpire immediately, with consistent positive actions, it will inevitably unfold before us. You just need to point yourself in the right direction and clean your path of dirty thoughts as they arise. Don’t stay stuck in the dirt.

Thank you for reading this blog post! If you enjoyed the content and want to learn more about the topics discussed, I highly recommend checking out my book, REFLECT: A Perspective on Understanding Your Reality and Becoming Unstuck. In it, I dive deeper into the strategies and insights shared in this post, offering even more valuable information and practical advice. Click here to order your copy of REFLECT today! You can also visit my website for more information.