I CAN’T DO THAT NOW by Pennie Hunt

Growing up I wanted to be a teacher. I got married right out of high school. I had babies young. 
My life moved forward, and years went by. I always wondered… what if I would have gone to college?
Would I be a teacher? What if I went back to school now, could I still be a teacher? My self-talk would push back with, “well, I can’t do that now.”

I always wanted to be a writer and publish a book. I had a busy job, a busy life and thought no one would be interested in my words and thoughts. I could visualize the cover with my name running across the bottom as the author and thought… what if I would have begun writing when I was younger. Once again that voice in my head said, “well, I can’t do that now.”

What are your 'what if's' and 'can’t do's' in life? Do you allow yourself to believe that a golden opportunity has passed, and you will never be able to accomplish it now? Do you live in a space of wondering ‘what if I would have’ and telling yourself you can’t do it now?

What if instead of living in regret for something you didn’t do or accomplish, you switch your self-talk and began daydreaming, fantasizing, and imagining what you could do? What if you tried?

When I was what many would believe to be middle-aged, I began thinking what if I could. I found information about scholarships, loans, and colleges. My self-talk became, “what if I could.” One day when my courage rose to a confident level, I went to my local community college and signed up for a class. It happened to be creative writing. One class to test my ability and self-confidence. I loved it! I could do it! And I was pretty good at it.

That one class turned into the next semester with a few classes and soon I found myself working towards a degree at the same college my two oldest children were attending. Was it easy? No. But with every step forward I became more determined, and my children were right there cheering for me as I marched across the stage and received my diploma.

I walked off the stage into a busy work life believing there were not enough hours in my day to write. My inner voice kept telling me, I can’t do that. Then I wrote my first blog and hit publish. After five years of writing, my first book was published. I didn’t know that with every weekly blog, I was taking one more step toward my dream. I didn’t know that my writings would fold together to create that book cover with my name across the bottom as the author. I didn’t know that with every word I wrote I was telling myself, ‘What if I could?’
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Looking at my life I did become a teacher of sorts by sharing my tips and techniques through my writing. It would not have happened if I kept believing that voice in my head telling me that I can’t do that.

I ask you again, what are your ‘what if’s’ and ‘can’t do’s’ in life? I am asking you to change that to, “what if I could.” Take that first step and then the next.  I know you CAN do it!
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
             “Don’t allow your own self talk to tell you that you can’t do something.
​                                        Change it to, What if I could?”

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YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                                Thank you!  ​
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                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
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