Week 3 - Blog #3 - Response to Ashley May

Changing Faith

Ashley May wrote:

I read chapters 1-4 in The Art of Possibility on Sunday, but for some reason, I have been wrestling with writing this post.  It’s not that the reading was so confusing or that I had any misunderstandings; it was more of a “what to say and how to say it” kind of situation.  However, this evening I got news that my mother was in the hospital, and suddenly the urge to find a distraction led me back to my computer.

As I read through the chapters, I couldn’t help but think to myself.  I know I have heard this all before.  After about the fourth time I found myself saying this, it dawned on me; these are all Biblical principles being put into action.  I had heard this all before.  We have studied many of these same concepts in depth at my church.  Such titles as What You are Expecting is Expecting You, Your Thoughts Create Your World, and Confession that Brings Possession immediately came to mind.  You can click on any of the titles to purchase any of these titles or to read more information.    My Bishop, S. Terri Smith, always says, “The principles work if you work them.” It is show true.  Believer or non-believer, Christian or non-Christian, the principles of the Bible always work.  After realizing that this book was simply a repeat of teaching that I had already received being presented in a different light, I was able to read and enjoy more.  I was able to really get into what the Zanders had to say. 

There were a few points that stuck out to me that I would like to address.  First, Ben dealt with removing fear as an obstacle.  This was a prevalent theme throughout the first 2 chapters.  I had my “aha” moment when I (once again) realized that I am the biggest opposition to my own success.  It’s my thought patterns about my environment and myself that have to change.  I have to stop limiting myself to the box.  Instead of thinking outside of the box, I have to operate as if the box doesn’t exist!

The second point that I absolutely loved was when Zander said, “When you make a mistake, lift your arms high in the air and say ‘how fascinating.’”  I thought this would be a great exercise for me, personally.  I tend to put an extraordinary amount of pressure on myself to do everything and be everything.  What’s worse is that even though I know I cannot be perfect, I am still somehow disappointed when I am not.  This exercise will be great for me to start to take some of the pressure off of myself, and to allow myself to make mistakes. 

The third point that stood out was the story of the Taiwanese student.  He went form seeing himself as a 68, to seeing himself as an A.  It made me wonder, how do I see myself?  Why do I let others define who I am? Why do we all let others define who we are, even if it’s just a small part of ourselves?  This passage was extremely liberating for me.  It also reinforced things that I knew, but that I hadn’t yet learned.  I hope that makes sense to you!  It’s just like when people hear you but they are not listening.  Anyway, I am going to strive to do a better job of only caring about how I see myself, and giving myself that A!

The fourth and last point that I wanted to discuss was about making contributions, and about how that is like making ripples.   It immediately brought me back to Professor Rena Hanaway’s class.  Her theme was always  “making ripples,” and I really, finally, truly got it! It’s really about doing enough to cause a change in others, and for that same change to cause a ripple effect.  On a random side note, I thought it was rather befitting that I would reach this epiphany of sorts during the same week that I am hammering home cause and effect relationships with my 6th grade students! 

Well, if you are still reading, I would like to say thank you.  I naturally talk too much, and I’m a writer by nature as well.  Combining those two factors under stress can only lead to ridiculously long blog postings that someone will have to suffer through.  I hope it wasn’t too bad!  Until next time…

My response:

Ashley,

I agree that this book echos of information that we have heard in other places before.  Yet, we must need to hear it many times because it takes us so long to "get" it.  I also found similarities with the themes in this book and the teaching in the Christian Church.  I appreciate your candid way of explaining how you came to understand that you need to think as though there is no box.  My son has Aspergers and one of the greatest things about having Aspergers is that you operate everyday as if there was no box.

I also like the way that you explained the contributions portion of our reading.  It is like making ripples!  I hadn't thought about it that way before reading your blog.  If you think about it that is what we hope to do in our classrooms.