Make Wishes Come True

Set Aside Doubts

For me the beautiful phrase “a willing suspension of disbelief,” coined by the American psychologist William James, was the perfect antidote to my skeptical nature. I learned that when you dare to “put your wishes out there,” you don’t have to commit to a new set of beliefs. All you have to do is to set your doubts aside for long enough to see what happens. I eventually discovered that many of my doubts were themselves quite superstitious--the result of certain unquestioned fears and habitual patterns of resignation, like assuming that someone like me could never afford to buy a house in my expensive northern California town!

Why This Works: When I put my doubts temporarily out of play, it gave me a chance to notice opportunities, accept support, and be receptive to new possibilities that previously wouldn’t have shown up on my radar. For instance, I met a young Japanese flamenco dancer who was looking for a room to rent, and she became the first of several wonderful tenants who have broadened my horizons…and helped me to afford my “impossible” mortgage.