My sister and I were talking about all of the self-imposed tasks and projects in our lives and how it seems impossible to get them done. The word ‘impossible’ brings to mind two quotes:

The first is from ‘Alice In Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll:

“There’s no use trying,” she (Alice) said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

The second quote is attributed to Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”  

I’ve applied these words in situations where it seemed I could not meet a looming deadline. There is something empowering about reading the thoughts of others and then trying them on for size. When someone tells me they accomplished what they thought was impossible, it helps me believe that I can do the same. It’s faith in that belief, in our own power, that lends support.

Considering the words of others leads me to trail mapping. Leave a trail of your progress. Make a map of what you’ve learned so that you can return and others can follow if they choose to. Someone may want to see what you saw and gain wisdom in the learning. 

One of the best lessons I’ve learned is when I’m in a difficult situation of any kind, I ask myself, “How did others solve this? Perhaps I can follow their steps.”

Use all the words, trails, and maps in your library to help with the impossible.

See you next space!