THE SUNDAY SHIFT: What if you're wrong about what's possible?

The white smoke rose.A new Pope was named.And the world held its breath—because this time, it was an American. A collective “Wait, what?” echoed across headlines and group chats. Not because it couldn’t happen. But because we assumed it wouldn’t. We wrote the story before it was told. And don’t we all do that? We pre-judge the moment.We downplay the chance.We tell ourselves what’s likely, so we can avoid the risk of hoping, or stretching, or failing. Here’s the shift:How often are you wrong about what’s possible—especially for yourself?The job you’re “not qualified for”The conversation you think will go badlyThe risk you’re sure you’ll mess upThe life you’d love but talk yourself out of We all have those stories. Often stories that hit us multiple times a day. Stories that shrink us before we even begin. And most of the time, they sound so reasonable, so familiar, we don’t even question them. We allow them to just happen. And we’ll say, “that’s just who I am.” Ideas to PonderWhat if the thing you think isn’t possible… actually is?What if your “I could never” is just a reflex and not the capital-T truth?Where are you still playing small because of a story you wrote too early? 🎯 1 Focus This WeekChallenge one pre-judgment. Pause when you hear that inner voice say, That’s not for me or That would never work. Then ask:What if I’m wrong?What if this could happen?What might be possible if I believed something new? You don’t have to have certainty. You just have to create space for possibility. Sometimes white smoke rises where we least expect it. And the change we didn’t plan for becomes the shift we needed most.

Hi Reader,

Welcome to The Sunday Shift - happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful Mommas❤️

Now, let's get to it: this week, the white smoke rose.

A new Pope was named.

And the world held its breath. Because this time, it was an American.

A collective “Wait, what?” echoed across headlines and group chats. Not because it couldn’t happen. But because we assumed it wouldn’t.

We wrote the story before it was told. And don’t we all do that?

We pre-judge the moment.

We downplay the chance.

We tell ourselves what’s likely, so we can avoid the risk of hoping, or stretching, or failing.

Here’s the shift:

How often are you wrong about what’s possible—especially for yourself?

The job you’re “not qualified for”
The conversation you think will go badly
The risk you’re sure you’ll mess up
The life you’d love but talk yourself out of

We all have those stories. Often stories that hit us multiple times a day. Stories that shrink us before we even begin. And most of the time, they sound so reasonable, so familiar, we don’t even question them. We allow them to just happen. And we’ll say, “that’s just who I am.”

Ideas to Ponder

What if the thing you think isn’t possible… actually is?
What if your “I could never” is just a reflex and not the capital-T truth?
Where are you still playing small because of a story you wrote too early?

🎯 1 Focus This Week

Challenge one pre-judgment.

Pause when you hear that inner voice say, "That’s not for me," or "That would never work." Then ask:

What if I’m wrong?
What if this could happen?
What might be possible if I believed something new?

You don’t have to have certainty. You just have to create space for possibility.

Sometimes white smoke rises where we least expect it. And the change we didn’t plan for becomes the shift we needed most.

I believe you are the most powerful leader you’ll ever know, Reader. One small shift will help you believe it, too.

See you next Sunday.

Jenn

P.S. If this challenged your thinking, forward it to someone who needs the reminder: pre-judgment is optional. Possibility is always available.

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JENN CLOUTIER

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