I was talking with a friend of mine the other night. He was telling me how his life was messed up and how if he could turn back the clock and finish highschool again, he would be able to make something of himself. But as it was, he was stuck. He would never amount to anything.

I, of course, didn't agree. And, I told him that what he was saying was complete bullshit. I also told him to stop whining and bitching about it. But those little tidbits are beside the point.

I had a philosophy through the mind of my main RP character, Burnt Tiger. This revelation came to me many years ago but I wasn't able to put it into words until about 3 years ago.

Trust me, there is a tie in.

Regardless, long about two years ago or so, while I was RPing regularly (meaning, going into Yahell chat nightly in order to escape to a world I could manipulate more easily.) Tig adopted a young girl.

Carrisa (the girl) and Tig were very close and Tig did her damnedest to raise that girl well. Often there would be things which Ris didn't want to do, or believed she absolutely couldn't do. Tig gave her the same line over and over again.

"You're only limited by what you believe."

Well, (yes, this is the tie-in) I told that line to my friend during his textual temper tantrum. He glossed over it. But I didn't.

It hit me. And it hit me hard. Here's this piece of advice... this philosophy, which was developed long about five years ago or so, and I never once actually understood what that meant for me.

You're only limited by what you believe

Could life really be that simple?

Yes.

I think about the way people used to train elephants. When they had a baby elephant, they would wrap a chain around its foot, anchor the chain so that the elephant wouldn't be able to escape. The young elephants learned that the chain around their foot would keep them bound.

Those same elephants, when fully grown, still believed that when the chain was around their foot, they couldn't escape. It doesn't matter that WE know that a full grown elephant could rip a tree from the ground without a second thought. The elephant was trained to know that when its foot is chained, it can't escape.

SO, switch that to me, not saying I'm an elephant or anything, I'm not quite that tall...

But for me, in my life, if I feel I am being limited here... what do I believe which keeps me here?

What is the chain around my foot? And, do I have the ability to break the chain? Sure I do. If I believe I can break it, then I can.

Now, a few of you, I know, will probably be shaking your heads muttering about how I'm oscilating between sanity and insanity. However, I really think that this philosophy is true.

You're only limited by what you believe

So.... what do I believe?
1. God created the world and planned it

2. Jesus is the son of God

3. I am a child of God

4. I was designed for a specific purpose, and there is something specific God has in mind for my future.

5. Life is an adventure and love is a choice.

6. I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me.

7. God talks to me

8. If I do what God tells me to, I will have everything I need and everything I desire

So... those things/beliefs I don't want to change. Everything else is fluid. I can believe or not believe whatever I want to.

If I believe I can jump to the moon, I'll find a way to do it! Well, I don't WANT to jump to the moon, but I think you get the point.

Think about it.

You're only limited by what you believe