“The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Unlimited means not limited or restricted in terms of number, quantity or extent. It is about not being confined to a restricted understanding, it is boundless, infinite and outward looking. The opposite of unlimited is limited, restricted and inward looking
Today there are lots of limits in life; some set through our own insecurities or deliberately put in place to set boundaries. Circumstances and others also set limits on our activities and our relationships. The result is we do not always live to our full potential and flourish.
So what if we could learn to live a more unlimited life?
What does this actually mean ‘to live an unlimited life’?
An unlimited life is an unrestricted life which embraces the endless choices and possibilities that are open to us. It allows us to explore new ideas and options without constraints from our own thinking, our own self- doubt or lack of imagination i.e. anything that might stop us from going beyond what we’ve achieved before and equally we do not allow ourselves to be diminished by other’s opinions and beliefs for us.
How do we create an unlimited life?
“Every moment has infinite potential. Every new moment contains for you possibilities that you can’t possibly imagine. Every day is a blank page that you could fill with the most beautiful drawings.” John C. Parkin
Creating an unlimited life starts with us and our own thinking and attitude to life:
"We can only be what we give ourselves the power to be" Native American proverb
An unlimited life requires us to have a positive, grateful attitude and the ability to defuse unhelpful thoughts and make full use of the time we have available to us; even our gash moments. This does not mean that our lives have to be busy all the time, but we know how to pay attention to how we spend the time we have and use it productively to create a balanced life focused on our values and a life that is good for our well-being and encourages curiosity. We also do not limit the possibilities in front of us through labels
“Your only identity is I AM undefined and infinite. Any label you give yourself limits yourself.” Deepak Chopra
Our perspectives and intentions govern our our perception of the world. If we have an optimistic, positive attitude rather than a negative one then we will achieve so much more.
“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon” Paul Brandt
We often say ‘The sky is the limit’ to mean that there are a lot of options ahead of us, but even that phrase is limited in its thinking because the sky is not the limit
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” Norman Vincent Peale.
When we change our intentionality a whole new set of possibilities can open up and we flourish.
“Your future starts today. Don’t go through life looking in the rear-view mirror. Your life is filled with possibility.” Joel Osteen
Limited thinking is caused by our thoughts. These thoughts create emotions and feelings which then leads to judgement unless we develop emotional intelligence.
“Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities”.
Terry Josephson
You can’t overcome limiting beliefs by simply thinking about them, their origin etc you need to get past them by taking action, despite your feelings. You don’t even need to believe in yourself to take the first step, but when do so and you get the results then this will give you confidence to take the next step. Action creates a desire to do things. It brings results which improves confidence levels and reduces limiting beliefs and creates an upward spiral
Inaction, by contrast, breeds more inaction and spiralling lack of confidence and breeds fear.
It is important to develop our self-awareness so we can spot when we are over-thinking and being inactive. Limited beliefs are always likely to be there lurking in the background but we have a choice whether to give them any more attention than they actually require. No, we don’t totally ignore every concern we think of, but we use techniques like defusion and self-awareness to work out what thoughts to give credence to and what attitude we will have towards things
Obstacles, for example, are often described in a negative light, as stumbling blocks on our journey that have the potential to hinder or prevent us from reaching our goals, but what if we can reframe our perspective and see obstacles as stepping stones that help us to be honest with ourselves and face our true selves? When we reach this point we have the starting point to face what is in front of us using our current strengths and weaknesses and are in a much better position to see clearly and make informed choices about what and how to overcome any obstacle.
Boundaries are another thing we we can use to serve us not limit us. They can be looked at as a chance to create a framework for more freedom.
“Limitations are like boundaries, if you don’t want to go far. But you can set boundaries and still not limit yourself” Annelise Lords
Personal boundaries are essential in order for us to thrive and have healthy relationships. They are there to allow us to communicate our needs and desires clearly and succinctly without fear of repercussions, they are also used to set limits so that we feel comfortable and others don't take advantage.
It is important thing is to be aware of who you allow into your life and who spend your time with:
“The world is full of people who place limitations on you. Surround yourself with people who believe in unlimited possibilities” Rob Hill Sr
The circle of people we surround ourselves with is crucial to our sense of well-being and happiness. It is important to surround ourselves with open-minded, authentic, positive people.. ‘possibilitarians' who build our confidence and support and encourage our choices. When we receive validation from others it is the icing on the cake – ie not necessary but can be a boost.
Be curious:
“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about and don’t understand. [...] There are always new things to find out if you go looking for them.” David Attenborough
We only know a minute fraction of all that there is to know and new things are being discovered all the time. It is important to keep a child-like curios “Why?” to the fore rather than just take things for granted and not be interested in the world around us.
Embrace uncertainty:
“The beauty of life does not reside in certainty or conformity. It resides in the infinite possibilities of uncertainty.” Debasish Mridha
Life is uncertain and the turbulent times we live in, makes it more so. Rather than shut ourselves down and sure ourselves up, by immersing ourselves into what we know and is familiar, if we want to live a life of full of zest and flourish, then it is necessary to step outside of our comfort zone into our stretch zone.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The comfort zone is usually described as a psychological state in which a person feels comfortable, safe, at ease and experiences low levels of anxiety because they're not being challenged. Inside this comfort zone, people don't typically engage in new experiences or take on anything difficult so there are less opportunities to learn or experience growth, people only participate in activities that they are familiar with so that they can feel ‘in control’ of their environment.
“The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile” Tal Ben-Shahar
The stretch zone is where maximum growth occurs. In the stretch zone things can feel somehow awkward and unfamiliar but are cope- able with i.e. they do not bring about debilitating behaviour, instead as boundaries are explored learning can occur and possibilities are enhanced, safe in the knowledge that if you feel that you cannot cope with a situation as it unfolds, you can always retreat to the comfort zone.
“There are almost unlimited possibilities for making discoveries and to uncover the unknown. It is in the nature of the discovery that it can not be planned or programmed. On the contrary it consists of surprises and appears many times in the most unexpected places.”
Bengt L Samuelssohn
Pay attention to the opportunities that present themselves to you:
"No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are,
raise your sights and see possibilities -
always see them, for they are always there" Norman Vincent Peale
Paying attention enhances our natural curiosity and as you become more curious, it leads you to ask more questions, which enhances your learning and understanding, which then draws out other questions and so you move in a positive upward spiral of growth, making new connections as you go. It is these connections which can be drawn upon, like tools in a chest, at a later time as you approach new experiences or challenges in life. Simply put, paying attention gives us new perspectives on life and new tools to engage with life.
“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you.” Mary Kay Ash
We can all encounter numerous opportunities when we have the right mindset and put in the work to step into the right place at the right time.
“The secret of success is to be ready when your opportunity comes.” Benjamin Disraeli
Being able to make the best of opportunities that present themselves to us is dependent on the preparation that we do mentally and practically. We need to make sure that we acquire the knowledge, tools, skills and support as well as being healthy, physically and mentally, to have the physical and mental stamina to step out of our comfort zones into new areas. If we react or act without due consideration we often grasp at straws aimlessly and waste our energy because we don’t discern which are the relevant opportunities.
“We do not get unlimited chances to have the things we want. Nothing is worse than missing an opportunity that could have changed your life.” Anonymous
An opportunity doesn’t always appear when you consider that you are ready, instead it will usually come when you need it the most and not in the form that you might expect, so be open-minded, prepared and always ready to embrace what life has to offer. Do you know how many opportunities we miss because they occur at an ‘inconvenient’ moment?
Our challenge is to be present each and every day with the time we have and use it effectively and optimally at that particular moment. Kairos is concerned with the notion of seizing the appropriate time to do something which will affect our future. There is a time and place for everything and we shouldn’t attempt to force what’s not yet suppose to fit into our lives. As we go through life we begin to appreciate that there is a better or an optimum time for the many and varied activities and experiences in our lives. It is no use trying to force an opportunity at the wrong time as it is not likely to turn out as expected or have the desired effect and we might miss out on other time-sensitive opportunities.
Know your values and purpose:
“Every living being is an engine geared to the wheel work of the universe. Though seemingly affected only by its immediate surrounding, the sphere of external influence extends to infinite distance.” Nikola Tesla
We all have a purpose on earth. We are all part of a bigger picture. It is our responsibility to seek out that meaning for ourselves in our daily life and interactions with others and in the wider community.
“Values are important because they can guide you and motivate you through situations where your feelings might lead you off course. Acting in accordance with your own deepest values is inherently satisfying and fulfilling – even though it often forces you to face your fears.”
Russ Harris
Living life by our values and not our feelings or reactions is a good example of how we can find fulfilment in any situation, even one we don’t want. We can use our values and attitude to find satisfaction whilst on the journey towards our goals.
When we know our moral principles and use them to guide us rather than our feelings, it can also aid us to find our purpose more easily, make decision-making easier, increase our confidence and help us be more efficient when working through difficult situations and flourish.
“The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Albert Schweitzer
A final thought and a call for action:
“Visionaries saw humanities untapped potential and the unlimited possibilities in the unseen world and they brought them forth. Join the club and bring forth what our world and humanity needs in your generation and in generations to come” Assegid Habtewold
