What If? Revisited

I love what if questions. A what if question usually sparks my imagination very quickly and opens my mind to innovative ideas. Let’s practice together. This is especially good for anyone who wants to have influence in the world at large, or a difference in your family.

You and I are sitting on the precipice of meaningful possibility, but to embrace this possibility you must let go of what you think you know. Possibility does not live in the land of the familiar, it is not about experience, and it cannot be born out of “this is the way we always did it.”

If you consider yourself an elder, but you still want to be effective in the world, embracing possibility requires a lot of discomfort. Discomfort in the form of new, new processes, modern technologies, and new ways of showing up in the world. You cannot walk that same worn path and believe that you are moving to newness at the same time. To embrace the what ifs in life, now is the time to be willing to take risks, crazy, out of the blue, and possibly spontaneous risks – measured of course. I don’t want you to put yourself in harm’s way, but I am encouraging you to learn how to think outside the box.

HOW? How do we indulge in what ifs to expand our thinking? Here are a few suggestions to stretch yourself:

·         If you are a movie watcher, change up your preferred genre.

·         Listen to podcasts from younger and very vital influencers.

·         Change up some of your habits like the direction you drive to go to a familiar place, dine somewhere new with a new cuisine, listen to a new radio station, write with your non-dominant hand. Change your habits consciously because it causes you to think anew.

·         Journal about what ifs such as: What if I could have influence in the world, what would that look like?

·         What if I could alter the dynamics in my family, what would that look like, and who would I have to be to do so?

·         Learn how to use some innovative technology instead of criticizing it, cause it ain’t going away.

·         Spend time with your family, old and young alike, at the table sharing ideas.

·         And remember to affirm yourself and your ability to think in new and wonderful ways.

Yes, what if your mind was fresh, new, alive, and vital? It can be as long as you determine yourself as capable and ready to GROW.

Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio