Seeing opportunities.
I find it interesting that some people see opportunities everywhere, and others have difficulty seeing any at all. It's as if some are wearing horse blinders and cannot see beyond what is in front of them, or when what one person might consider a "sign" of opportunity, another says, "Show me another sign!"
Life has a way of shaping us, experience by experience. Each one—especially the painful ones—becomes a brick we use to build a fortress around ourselves. A harsh word from someone we trusted? That's a brick. A failure we didn't see coming? Another brick. Over time, these walls grow taller, and while they may shield us from harm, they also limit our view of what's possible. We might feel safe inside, but safety isn't freedom; it's a trade-off.
These fortresses, built from the lessons of "not doing that again," can become our own self-imposed prisons. They keep the world out but also keep us from seeing the endless opportunities swirling around us. The question is: Do we need to hold onto every brick, every experience, forever? Or can we let some walls fall and step into the open field of possibilities we were born into?
Here's the thing: imagining what could be is just as important as understanding what has been. Think of an empty lot. One person might walk by and see only barren land. Another sees a house, a vibrant home filled with life. The visionary doesn't stop there; they help others see it too. They gather the builders, the architects, the dreamers, and slowly, the house becomes real. The lot was never "just empty." It was always filled with potential. However, potential requires vision, effort, and collaboration to become reality.
The same is true for ourselves. We're never just the version we are today. The future version of us already exists in the choices we make and the opportunities we're willing to see. It takes courage to say, "This fortress isn't where I want to stay."
Maybe you've been staring at an empty lot in your life, unsure what to do with it. Maybe the weight of old bricks—attachments, regrets, fears—has kept you from imagining what's possible. But the beauty of life is that it's never too late to let go of what no longer serves you and start creating something new.
What are the blinders you have been wearing? What kind of "house" do you see for yourself? What would it take to start building it—and to inspire others to help you bring it to life? Because here's the truth: the lot won't stay empty, and you won't remain the same. The only question is what you'll choose to create.
So, what do you see? What can you imagine for your future? And what's stopping you from starting today?
