Have you ever thought of your life as a container? Strange thought? However, the symbolism is true. The size of a container determines the shape and size of what can fit within its boundaries. Let’s consider how that relates to your life.

Maybe you’ve heard this story before, but many years ago, a farmer brought an amazing pumpkin to a county fair. It was big and orange, in every aspect a perfect pumpkin. Interestingly it was the exact size and shape of a two-gallon jug!

After it had won the blue ribbon, someone asked the farmer how he had managed to produce such a wonder. He chuckled and said, "Shucks! Wasn't anything to it! Soon as the blossom started to grow, I just stuck it inside a cider jar and the pumpkin took care of the rest." If you think I'm kidding, just check out the square watermelons we grew this year!”

Just like that farmer’s pumpkin, the shape of your life is determined by the size and shape of the container in which you hold it. Your container is made up of your personal beliefs about what is possible, your expectations of what will happen, and—most of all—your thoughts about yourself and the world you live in.

Many of your beliefs about what is possible for you were put there by someone else when you were just starting to blossom. But what would your life look like if you were able to let yourself grow without the limits of other people's ideas about you?

When we were younger and impressionable, we may have been forced to shrink to fit the size of a container determined by adults who didn't know any better. From this we were more likely than not limited in growth potential!

The good news is that, unlike the perfectly shaped two-gallon pumpkin, once we are grown, we still have the choice to be different. We can select our own container.

Many species, for example, are limited by their habitat. Small or isolated areas tend to stunt their growth. Once relocated to other, more expansive habitats, they can experience significant growth spurts due to their expanded possibilities. The same occurs with possibility thinking.

So, look at your beliefs—where they came from and how they limit you. Then, make some choices for yourself based on how big you'd like your mind and spirit to grow. The possibilities are only dependent on the size and shape of your container.

Think about it…