Yoga Is For Everybody? Not Quite...

This 2-minute quiz shows you if yoga is for you. Or what you should do instead.

Living in Possibility: Ask “Why Not Me?”

Meditation | Meditation for Beginners

I remember when I heard Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson ask, “Why not you?”

I realized then that Wilson knows what it means to live in possibility. This is an advanced practice whether we’re talking about meditation, football, yoga, or life. Asking “Why not you?” demonstrates a mature understanding of the balance between effort and outcome.

Wilson—like Einstein—believes that every great action begins with a thought. He believes that your positive mindset gives you a more hopeful outlook. If you think you can do something great, then you will do something great.

An Exercise in Positivity

The “Why not you?” way of thinking completely reframes the victim mentality of “Why me?”

Scientist and author duo Rick Foster and Greg Hicks write, “Positive people search for the seeds of growth and insight.” It seems that the happiest people are able to ‘recast’ and raise the positive emotional value of events.

This is the difference between staying stuck in what didn’t go down the way you wanted it to, and moving forward with lessons learned. There is no time lost to the dreaded disease of “excuse-itis.”

I’ve always been one to root for the underdog, being one myself. I respect Wilson most for his quiet confidence. He literally actions what David J. Schwartz writes about in his book, “The Magic of Thinking Big”—“Believe in yourself, believe you can succeed.”

Can you imagine how many times Wilson was met with the question, “Why you?”

“You know, I want to be the uncommon one. I think it's pretty cool that I'm only 5'11", you know, and playing in the National Football League," Wilson has said. "My faith is so strong that I believe that God made me 5'11" for a reason: for all the kids that have been told, no, that they can't do it.”

So, the next time someone asks, “Why you?” take one from Wilson’s playbook and ask, “Why not me?” If everyone believed “Why not you?” where would we be?

Applying “Why Not You?” to Your Situation

Why Not You = Possibility = What I Believe In

Why Me = Impossibility = What Holds Me Back

This extrapolates to something even bigger than a Super Bowl Championship.

  • Why not you…to bring peace to the world?
  • Why not you…to be loved well?
  • Why not you…to go to college?
  • Why not you…to get out of your abusive relationship?
  • Why not you…to get a better job?
  • Why not you…to live a happy life?
  • Why not you…to kick addiction?
  • Why not you…to be less stressed out?
  • Why not you…to do what you really want to do if you weren’t afraid?

And lastly, why not you…to change the world?

Guiding Principles of Living the Philosophy of “Why Not You?”

  1. Show up 100 percent knowing you are capable of anything.
  2. Know your purpose.
  3. Affirm your authentic self so there’s no stopping YOU.
  4. Set inspiring goals focused on the process, not just the outcome.
  5. Create healthy mental, physical, and emotional habits.
  6. Practice with passion so inevitable obstacles won’t hold you back.
  7. Stay present.

Living from the perspective of infinite possibility is not always easy, but why not be the one to do it? Here’s a final note from one Russell to another.

“Focus on your vision and keep going until you hit the finish line. See it through, no matter how long it takes. Understand that obstacles are just part of the game. Whatever you imagine, you can achieve. Once you realize this truth, no one is going to be able to stop you.” ~Russell Simmons

Featured in New York Magazine, The Guardian, and The Washington Post
Featured in the Huffington Post, USA Today, and VOGUE

Made with ♥ on planet earth.

Copy link
Powered by Social Snap