5 Things You Actually Mean To Say When You Tell Yourself, ‘I Can’t’

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January 1st is rapidly approaching, meaning that by now you’re beginning to formulate New Year’s resolutions. While the number of things you want to accomplish seems pretty hefty, there are some items on your list you want to achieve, but you can’t imagine seeing them through to fruition. This year, instead of thinking about all the reasons you can’t achieve your goals, examine why you think you can’t in the first place and try to change your mindset instead. After all, the more you reinforce an idea, be it positive or negative, the more likely is it is to manifest.

1. You’re afraid to try

Let’s face it, you tell yourself you can’t do something because you’re afraid of the outcome. You think people will laugh at you, you think you can’t stick to your guns; you’re worried that you won’t be taken seriously. Whatever the reason for your self-doubt, let those demons go. The sooner you start believing in yourself, the faster you’ll be able to achieve your goals and ultimately better yourself.

2. You’re too lazy

Growth is the result of hard work. You realize your goal is attainable, but don’t think it’s worth putting in the effort to get things done. But in reality, if you took just 20 minutes a day to chip away at your resolution, you’d reach your target in no time. Remember that there’s no time like the present, and you could definitely cut down on time-sucks like watching television and lurking around on Facebook to opt for something more productive.

3. You’re doubting your skill set

You have the desire but lack confidence. You fear failure. Keep in mind that no great empire was built overnight, and lofty objectives are achieved through a series of baby steps. Create a timeline for yourself and take things one day at a time. You’ll feel less stressed, and won’t get caught up in worrying if you’re “good enough” or not.

4. You’re worried about external factors

Oftentimes, you turn down opportunities because you’re looking too far into the future and giving in to anxiety. You worry about taking a new job because you don’t think you’ll be living in the same city next year. You’re reluctant to start dating someone new, because you remember what it’s like to feel heartbroken. We are a culmination of our experiences, but you can consciously choose to let external events bolster your knowledge, not cripple you from making decisions.

5. You don’t want to

Maybe you’ve vowed to start exercising more, or perhaps you want to stop drinking so much caffeine. Although these resolutions are healthy, they’re definitely not the most fun. It’s completely understandable if you don’t want to work on these areas of your life, but you still need to change your terminology. Instead of saying you “can’t” do something, use the phrase “choose not to.” Your words have power, and the less restraints you put on yourself, the more you’ll be able to accomplish.