Never Say You Can’t - Part 1

How many times have you told yourself that you can’t do one thing or the other? What good has that negative affirmation done to you?

None I’m sure. But there is a sure way to achieve your goals in life without the intrusion of negative thoughts? What is that sure way? Conduct a funeral service for your I can’ts.

I am sure you are wondering “What is this guy up to again? Read on and you will soon find out.

A teacher of a third grade school after having spent most years of her life teaching recently went through an empowerment training programme. She decided to do an exercise with her students so as to apply one of the principles she learnt at the training. She got to class one morning and asked her students to bring out a sheet of notebook papers each and write out a list of things they can not do with sentences starting with I can’t.

Soon everyone including the teachers started on this task. Sentences like the following were written; I can’t pass the examination, I can’t solve the mathematical problem, I can’t have straight ‘As’, I can’t do long division with more than 3 numerals and on and on they went. Everyone kept writing like this for a while. After everyone had filled their sheets, they were asked by the teacher to drop them in a box with the teacher’s list too.

Someone was sent to get shovels as they left the classroom. Everyone gathered in the school’s playground and started digging a grave,

Everyone took turns at digging and after they were satisfied with the depth of the grave, they dumped the box of I can’ts list in there and covered it back with the earth they had dug in a procession just like they do in funerals.

Then the teacher asked the students to join their hands together and bow their heads as they formed a circle around the grave.

The students compiled and afterwards, the teacher delivered the eulogy as follows: “friends we gather today to honour the memory of I can’t. While he was with us on earth, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others. His name unfortunately, has been spoken in every public building, schools, city halls, states and even by presidents. We have provided I can’t with a final resting place and a headstone that contains his epitaph. He is survived by his brothers and sisters I can, I will, I must, and I am going to right away. They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not as strong and powerful yet.”

“Perhaps someday, with your help i.e. by saying and using them often, they will make an even bigger mark on the world. May “I can not” rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives an move forward in his absence. Amen”

After this eulogy, the teacher took the students back into the classroom to celebrate the passing away of I can’t with cookies, popcorn and fruit juices. Afterwards, the teacher cut up a paper headstone with ‘I cant’ at the top and RIP in the middle. The date was added at the bottom. They all followed this through with action on their part.

Any student who forgot himself/herself and said the word I can’t was reminded of his death. This practical step, even if not followed religiously, can be applied to your own life.

I think you also need to celebrate the passing away of every “I can’t” in your life. Dig a grave today and bury every I can’t in there. This way you will be able to experience endless possibilities.

To be continued tommorrow.

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