Transformative Thursday: What if I could?
Imagine you’re standing at the edge of a vast forest. You’ve been told your whole life that it’s impossible to cross—that the trees are too dense, the path too wild, and the journey too long. You’ve watched others come to the edge, shake their heads, and turn back, sharing stories about how people who entered were never seen again.
One day, though, you meet a hiker who tells a different story. They describe the beauty they encountered, the quiet streams, the pockets of sunlight filtering through the leaves. They tell you about the unique plants, the hidden meadows, and the sense of freedom they felt on the other side. Intrigued, you start to wonder if you could make the journey too.
At first, you feel hesitant. You’ve heard all the warnings, all the reasons it’s “impossible.” But then, you shift your thinking and ask yourself, “What if it’s not impossible? What if I could?”
With that small shift, you find yourself taking one cautious step into the forest. Each step leads to another, and with each footfall, the path opens up a little more. You realize that while the forest is dense, it’s also filled with trails made by those who ventured before you. The journey is challenging, yes, but not nearly as impossible as you’d believed.
Sometimes, the limits we think exist are simply shadows cast by the fears of others—or by our own. When we dare to ask, “What if I could?” we create a space for possibility, allowing us to move beyond the edges of what we thought was possible and explore the unknown.
Sometimes, we get so anchored in our beliefs about what’s possible that we don’t leave room for new possibilities. We limit ourselves without even realizing it, focusing on reasons why things can’t happen or why we aren’t ready. But what if we flipped that mindset entirely?
Imagine asking yourself “What if…?” not as a question of doubt but as an invitation for potential.
What if you could pursue a dream you thought was out of reach?
What if you allowed yourself to take one step, no matter how small, toward a goal that excites you?
What if the limits you feel are more about perception than reality?
Exercise: Try this thought experiment. Think of an area where you’ve been feeling stuck. Identify your limiting beliefs, why you believe it’s difficult, why you feel you can’t do it, or why it won’t work. Then, ask yourself, “What if those reasons weren’t barriers?” Start to imagine an alternative reality where each “what if” opens a new door rather than closing one. When we shift our questions from “Why can’t I?” to “What if I could?” we invite transformation. This small mental shift opens up powerful possibilities and can be the spark that ignites change.