In 2021, I sold my condo and moved into a 7x14’ cargo trailer that Earl and I converted into living space. We have been living in this tiny space for 21 months. We’ve driven from Maine to southern Arizona to Washington state to Maine and back to southern Arizona. We are currently on our way north to Oregon where we will spend the summer.
A common response when we tell people how we live is: “I could never do that!”
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that, we could probably fill our truck’s gas tank once or twice.
My initial response when people say this is… “Of course, you could do it!”
But the truth is for most people, that isn’t what they really mean.
It isn’t that they couldn’t do it, it’s that they don’t want to do it. That’s a very different thing.
Energetically one statement gives your power away and the other confidently embraces it.
Here’s the difference…
When you say, “Oh, I could never do that!” you fail to acknowledge the unlimited power of the Universe. You are basically saying, “You are lucky. I am not. You are capable. I am not. You are ______________ (fill in the blank). I am not.”
You sink into victim mode. The low-vibe emotion of lack or missing out reverberates through your body. It’s a “Woe is me” feeling.
If you check in with your Heart you may realize you have absolutely no interest in the things I’ve done (or that people you know have done) that frequently generate the “I could never do that” response.
For example:
- You may have absolutely no interest in living in a 7x14’ cargo trailer and moving around the country. You may prefer stability and luxury. There is nothing wrong with that.
- You may have absolutely no interest in running a half marathon. You may prefer powerlifting competitions or hot yoga retreats. There is nothing wrong with that.
- You may have absolutely no interest in jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. You may not have a thrill-seeking side. No apology needed (and it doesn’t mean you’re boring).
- You may have absolutely no interest in… (fill in the blank)
Acknowledging that truth that...
Your interests and goals are different than other peoples’… is when you can embrace your power.
Instead of exclaiming, “I could never do that!” speak your truth.
It may sound like, “Wow! It’s fascinating that you are doing that. It’s definitely not something I would consider.”
Can you feel the difference?
And if we were to respond, “Why not? Why wouldn’t you consider it?”
You have the opportunity to tell us what is important to you.
Your interests, goals, and way of moving through life are your own choice. You can do whatever you want.
If your Heart whispers an idea in your head, I invite, encourage, and challenge you to listen. Those are things that you want to do. Those are the activities you can fully believe yourself capable of doing.
And as you are engaging in these “Heart’s Calling” activities, other people may say, “I could never do that!” but you know differently.
You know they probably don’t want to do those things. And you can be fine with that.
You don’t need to waste your time and energy trying to convince them that they could do this thing. You don’t need to supply them with (unasked-for) resources on how to get started.
You don’t need to feel defensive or downhearted if they are not as excited about this activity or accomplishment as you are. You also don’t need to feel diminished because your choice is one that few others make.
Celebrate your uniqueness. Honor your choices. Whether people are impressed (or not) doesn’t matter unless that was your motivating factor, to begin with. HINT: That’s never a good motivating factor.
And when others are doing things you don’t have any interest in doing, you can acknowledge and be interested in their actions without feeling a need to adopt them for yourself. Stating clearly how you feel keeps you in your power.
You can be you. I can be me. They can be them.