Behold the power of Yet
Hello friends,
My Hello 2019 message for you is about the Power of YET.
An elementary school teacher friend of mine told me
that when she's instructing math,
she's also instructing Yet Thinking.
She helps the kids say things like
"I don't understand reducing fractions YET"
and
"I don't know my twelve times tables YET."
Meaning:
I declare that these skills and resources are on their way,
even though they're not here right now.
I can honor the reality of this present moment
and/but
I can own my power to shape the future.
I love this.
Here,
witness the difference:
"I can't figure out how to exercise regularly"
vs
"I haven't YET figured out how to exercise regularly."
Or
"I don't sleep well"
vs
"I'm not sleeping well yet"
The former statements are stagnant.
Bereft of your agency.
Stuck in the past-present.
Ignoring this essential reality:
Everything is always changing, and so are you.
Adding Yet is vitalizing.
Adding Yet re-inserts your creative power into the situation.
Adding Yet remembers that this present moment
is always blooming into the next one.
And so are you.
Adding Yet is adding fuel to the fire
of the transformation that you want to bring about.
This is always helpful . . .
but when the transformation you want is big
or when times are especially tough
it is ESSENTIAL.
One of my teachers, Brooke Castillo, gives this great example:
When a baby human is learning to walk,
they fall down a lot.
Often, it takes a while
before they're steady enough on their feet
for a few steps.
As we watch the baby human,
we trust they haven't figured out walking YET.
No matter how many falls
no matter how much table and couch surfing
we don't say
"Eh, baby, it's not looking good."
We don't say,
"I guess you just can't walk."
Nope.
We trust in the Yet.
We know they're figuring it out.
We understand that each time they push themselves back up
they're developing the strength they need to walk
run
leap
dance
kick
go wherever they want to go.
So
What haven't you figured out Yet?
What power and freedom
are you working toward right now?
Find a place in your life that's stuck
stagnant
dim
doubtful
and make a Declaration of Yet.
"Here at the end of 2018, I haven't yet . . ."
And then have a good meal
and a nice walk
and then begin to make what is Not Yet
into what is Now Yours.
Happy New Year!