Whenever we watch or read the news, we hear about conflict and disaster. Not surprisingly, we conclude that the world is in a pretty poor state and that it is probably getting worse. But journalists are trained to focus mainly on stories of this nature. Perhaps such tales are getting fewer and further between and they are struggling ever harder find them. And so it is with the news that reaches us in our personal lives. Might your inner reporter now be putting an unnecessarily pessimistic skew on what's really a fine state of affairs?
Look at all the terrible things that are happening in the world. And then there is the global economy? Or how about climate change? Isn't that still a big issue? These are just some of the concerns that get raised every day in the minds of millions when they follow the news. As fast as problems seem to be resolving themselves in one area, the headlines reflect a new factor to fear. But the world keeps turning, and so does your personal world of challenges. Pay less heed to what's worrying you unduly.

What's now standing in your way? Or perhaps, we should ask more pointedly, who is now standing in your way? And while we are looking at people, rather than situations, perhaps we should also look more closely at an attitude or expectation that has been slowly building up within you lately. If you truly don't want something to happen, you are surely within your rights to announce as much and act accordingly. But to hide behind a convenient excuse, is to engage in self-deception. The question now, is what do you want?

Age is not a mere chronological phenomenon. It is a psychological issue, a matter of attitude and expectation. If we tell ourselves we are too old for an activity, we automatically prevent any further thought on the matter. If we take a more adventurous stance and decide to try our best and see what happens, we may discover that we have far more energy and aptitude than we might have imagined. In what way now might you be allowing yourself to grow old before your time? It is time to think again about what's holding you back.