So, I have been holding my Nia classes even with my injured toe. I limit my movement and coach the participants to move in their own body’s way as is the norm with Nia. So there are movements I can’t do. Even outside of Nia I can’t. I have been limiting all of my activity so that I can “save my foot/toe” for my Nia classes. There have been events and outings I have missed because “I can’t”. There have been goings-on and happenings I’ve skipped because “I can’t.” I can’t. I can’t because I am saving my movement. When I do a lot of normal activity my toe gets “tired” and swells and throbs, so I can’t do a lot of stuff. I have put this limitation on myself so that I can continue to move in my class. I have restricted my movements outside of class so that I can do as much as I can inside of class. I have placed “can” and “can’t” guides on myself.
This past week I was talking to a friend about something and I heard “I can’t” a lot. It occurred to me that I have been saying that a lot too. I can’t go here or there because I have to rest my foot. There it is. I have put restrictions on myself. I want my foot to heal so I won’t allow myself to do certain things so that I can accomplish this other thing.
I can’t.
By saying “I can’t” we put restrictions and limitations our ourselves. We do this to ourselves. So can’t you? Really? Is that word serving you? In the case of my foot, I do believe it is serving me. I really believe by restricting myself from doing too much I am allowing it to heal. The doctors always say “stay off the foot”. So that is what I am doing. But . . . .since I am saying that so much lately it is allowing me to see where I say it in other areas of my life. It is as if I only have so many allowances where I can say that and since I am having to say it for my foot the other times I am saying it, it sticks in my mouth and I think, “Why can’t I?”
Can I not because I have told myself that? Can I not because I have imposed this limitation, this restriction on myself? Is this a “good” I can’t? Or is this an “I can’t” that is squelching my growth? If I were to say “I can” instead would there be an opportunity to learn something? To experience something new? To have an adventure into something different?
Hmmmmm? The POWER of “I can’t” has come to light. I know, I have heard it before the positive thinking versus the negative thinking, but this is not necessarily positive versus negative. Sometimes it could just be laziness or just the I- don’t-know-what-that-will-do-so-I-can’t kind of thing. I believe that “can’t” sometimes is the correct response, but I am evaluating that. So interesting to me.
What about you? Interesting? What “CAN’T” you do? What “CAN’T” you do that you know will be good for you? What “CAN’T” you do even though you know it will benefit your health? Why “CAN’T” you do something? Is it because you just haven’t before so you can’t possibly now? Hmmmmm? All kinds of questions and ideas, huh?
For me, I am stopping and thinking before I say I can’t. Even if my answer or comment is me saying, “No.” I am going to try my hand at rephrasing it and instead of just saying, “I can’t”, I am going to give a more accurate answers. Because often times, I probably CAN, I just . . . . well, whatever the reason.
This toe thing really has me thinking . . . . a lot.
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