Do You Think You Can't?
Self-Therapy For People Who ENJOY Learning About Themselves
You are incapable of something if you are physically unable to do it. You are capable of something if you are physically able to do it.
If you were hired to do something your mind just can't comprehend, you are incapable of those duties.
If you want to walk up a stairway but you don't have legs, you are incapable of that activity.
Being incapable is about physical impossibility. It's not just a matter of believing you can't.
"I CAN'T"
People often say they can't do something when they just don't want to do it. If they are lying to others, that's a relationship problem. If they are lying to themselves, that's a therapy problem.
"I THINK I CAN'T... I THINK I CAN'T..."
Let's talk about a boy, Leo, who was told to tie his shoes when he was three years old. He did his best, spent a lot of time at it, and found that his little fingers just couldn't handle the job. Things like that happen a lot to kids.
But let's say Leo grew up to be one of the people who claim they can't do a whole lot of things.
How did he get that way? How will he get over it?
1) That he was incapable of some things.
2) That he was incapable of most things.
3) That he had to rebel against some expectations.
4) That he had to rebel against all expectations.
5) That he was incapable of most things and he also had to keep rebelling.
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Leo could learn in therapy that:
1) Too much was expected of him in the past.
2) He can do whatever anyone else with his physical makeup can do.
3) He can make his own choices about what he will and won't do.
If his mother eventually got off his back about these things, good for little Leo! But as an adult, he still needs to learn to say "yes" or "no" instead of "I can't."
NEED TO REBEL AGAINST ALL EXPECTATIONS
If the adults were never satisfied with what he did as a child, Leo might grow up to be angry whenever anyone wants anything at all from him. He might be bitter against the world because he decided long ago that everyone will always be dissatisfied, even with his best efforts.
So he says "I can't" almost without thinking. He tells his boss he can't get that report in on time. He tells his friends he can't make it to their party. And he tells his lover he can't have sex tonight, and almost every night.
Eventually he will have to face how sad he is about losing all of the things he could have done so far in his life. He needs to face his sadness about these losses before he'll have the motivation to acknowledge his real capabilities.
Like all of us, Leo would love to know how capable he really is. Once he gets relief from all his sadness and fear he will finally realize he CAN.
Enjoy Your Changes!
Everything here is designed to help you do just that!
next: Handling Criticism
APA Reference
Staff, H.
(2008, November 15). Do You Think You Can't?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 21 from https://www.healthyplace.com/self-help/inter-dependence/do-you-think-you-cant