12. I’m Too Old (or Not Old Enough)
The age of your body can seem to be quite an obstacle on the road to changing long-held thinking habits, particularly since you received an extensive list of memes concerning age very early on.

Depending on where you grew up, you heard statements such as: “You can’t ride your bicycle until you’re seven,” “You can’t sleep over until you’re ten,” “You can’t drive a car until you’re 16,” and “You can’t have sex until you’re married.” Then at some point you discovered that you went from being not old enough to being too old!

In my role as a counselor, teacher, and parent, I’ve heard many reasons that people use to explain an unhappy existence . . . and almost all of them inevitably fall into one huge category, which I call “excuses.”

The rest of the chapter will introduce you to 18 of the most commonly used ones, along with a brief commentary about each of them. This will give you a primer before you go on to learn the Excuses Begone! method that’s detailed in the rest of the book.

Here they are, in no particular order:

At one time or another you’ve probably asked yourself, “What is the purpose of my life? What is its meaning? Why am I here on Earth, and what am I supposed to be doing?” Chances are, you work hard, whether you take care of a household or have a job outside of the home.

Your days are filled with seemingly endless chores and tasks like getting the oil changed in your car and going to the grocery store. Perhaps sometimes, when you get tired or stressed out, life can seem like just one long and meaningless “to do” list with a bland retirement and a gold-plated watch at the end of it.

In a matter of minutes, I see my dream shatter in pieces. We are not going to America. I can’t believe this doomed future fate of mine. I run upstairs, my Soul contracts, my life is over. I don’t say much and put the blanket over my head.

Florian, who has listened to our conversation, runs to his room, crying loudly, “Why don’t we go?” He has never been more upset. Somehow Florian’s huge disappointment does the trick. It moves Syb’s Soul to courageously stand up and speak. He reaches within himself and says the magic words, “OKAY, why not now! Why wait?”