Yes, I can -- the first in a series

I believe. There are many things I believe in. I believe in the enormous capacity of my heart to love. I believe that people are more good than bad and there is vast generosity everyday. I believe in kindness, hope, honestly, loyalty and effort. I believe that I can do my best, or not, and either way it is my choice. But one particular phrase has is my philosophy of life. “Yes, I can.”

"You're too..." Throughout my life, I have been told about the things I couldn’t do. Usually it is phrased something like this: “You’re too young, too old, too female, too quiet, too loud, too smart, too friendly, too, too, too…” Once in a while they say “Don’t get your hopes up.”

These are the ways people try to be polite but discouraging; they think they are doing me a favor. No, they don’t step forward and say “You can’t do that.” But, really, they are saying, “You can’t do that.” It isn’t very encouraging.

Encouraging myself. But, Mark Twain once said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” I agree with Mr. Clemens. I believe life is too short to live amongst small people. It is important to surround yourself with people who are amazing and to let them encourage you to be your very best, as well. I also believe that sometimes that is impossible and that is when you must encourage yourself. I believe anyone can do anything they want to do and this includes me. I have done it many times I have done the things that people warned me I was “too …” to do. In this series I am going to explore some of my “Yes, I Can” moments. Please share with me some of yours.