Time for Possibility

pos·si·bil·i·ty
[päsəˈbilədē]

NOUN
1. a thing that may happen or be the case: 
synonyms: chance · likelihood · probability · hope · risk

2. the state or fact of being likely or possible; likelihood: 
practicability · chances · odds

3. a thing that may be chosen or done out of several possible alternatives: 
synonyms: option · alternative · choice · course of action

4. unspecified qualities of a promising nature; potential: 
synonyms: potential · promise · prospects
ORIGIN
late Middle English: from Old French possibilite, from late Latin possibilitas, from possibilis ‘able to be done’ (see possible).

It has been a long winter in Minnesota. It is almost mid-April. In my garden, all that I can see is soil and mulch. The trees have buds, but there are yet no blossoms. It is a perfect reminder for me that the seeds that will bring blooms and beauty of spring are already there. This is the time for cultivating possibility, another form of seed.

Are you stuck in “winter”? Is pervasive negativity getting you down? Are we really powerless in our response to fear and the abundance of bad news? Which bandwagon in the parade of current issues of darkness are you riding on? Looking for a respite? Let’s focus for the next few minutes on abundance (Yes, And…. vs Yes, But….) and possibility (How can we…? vs Can we…?)

Experts in and studies on the field of positive psychology abound. There are over 15,000 titles available on Amazon alone on the topic. I did not read them all in preparation for this post, but I have read several over time. There are some who would advocate that reading 3 or more books on any one subject makes me an expert in the field. I do not subscribe to that opinion. I do, however, subscribe to the theory that “we” trust more in what “they” say; especially if they have initials after their name. I have studied the subject of positivity to bring outside, credentialed authority to what I have found and know to be true in my life: stuff happens that may not be pleasant, convenient or nice and I get to choose how I respond to it.

In his landmark book Man’s Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote “The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.” Each moment of each day, each of us is given the opportunity to “choose our attitude” and act accordingly. Changing our perspective; noticing variability; bypassing labels; and exploring our capacity to respect (look again) and acknowledge difference, empowers us to shine the light of our uniqueness into the darkness. Collectively, we have the power to bring positive possibilities into reality. Where is your focus?

I do not believe I am alone in wondering how I can make a difference. Won’t you join me in a campaign to see things through a new lens? Be in abundance rather than be harnessed in scarcity. Stay open to possibility rather than be closed off in certainty. While I do not pretend to have all the answers, I do have a suggestion: Wear rose colored glasses and laugh.

Ruth Bachman, W., W., M., G.O.F., R.H.A., A.A.P.P.
(Ruth Bachman, Woman, Wife, Mother, Grandmother of Four, Right Handed Amputee, Almost Always a Positive Person)