Books About Exploring New Possibilities

Last month, our focus was all about opening up to the idea of change, and this month we’re focusing on discovering what is possible.

Exploring New Possibilities

Before the first step in a new direction, it helps to map out where we’re going. And before THAT, it’s worthwhile to pause. To take a moment to consider what is possible—even if it’s something we’ve never done (or dreamed) before.

At the end of each month, I sit down to write out my goals for the next month. It’s a task that I look forward to because it’s a moment of pure possibility. And, also, I happen to have a stash of fun stickers that make the process feel extra creative.

It usually starts out pretty easy. There are tasks and projects that I’m already working on. I write down the next steps. There are projects I’m about to start. I write out those first, initial milestones.

And then… I slow down. It’s always a little bit harder when I need to stretch into the unknown. The …and then what? phase. The uncharted territories. The completely blank pages. That’s where I tend to struggle.

Automatically, my mind goes straight for my shortcomings and failures. I think of all the things I’m not doing that I should do. All the things I am doing that I should stop doing. Month after month, these same “fix the shortcoming” items appear on my list, only to later be crossed out and moved to the next month.

What is it about perceived shortcomings, failures, and difficult circumstances that seems to shut down creativity?

Much of it, I think stems from how we view our “negatives.” What if, instead of viewing every “negative” as something that must change, we hold still for a beat to consider… what strength or opportunity is this perceived weakness, failure, or challenge revealing? And what becomes possible when we reframe—when we open up our thinking?

Finding a strength tucked away within a “weakness” or an opportunity inside a challenge turns a closed door into a new, uncharted territory.

A Growth Mindset

Imagining possibilities involves discovering our own strengths, reframing self-proclaimed weaknesses, and seeing challenges as opportunities. When we do, we open our minds to new pathways, harnessing our strengths to nourish areas where we tend to struggle most. And, in the process, we discover how to grow.

Here are a few of my favorite books about exploring new possibilities, having a growth mindset, and charting a new course, for every age:

*As always, since I am a Bookshop affiliate, I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you click through and purchase a book through the Bookshop links below.

Books About Exploring New Possibilities (For All Ages)

Adult:

Flourish, by Martin E.P.

Written by Martin E.P. Seligman, Flourish traces the study of positive psychology, beginning all the way back when psychology as a discipline was predominantly focused on clinical disorders. Positive psychology, on the other hand, started with questions about people who were “fine,” but not getting the most out of life. In Flourish, we learn everything from new techniques to perspective shifts to habit-changes that can help us build lives that are so much more than “fine.”

Young Adult:

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens (Updated for the Digital Age), by Sean Covey

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey acknowledges the high stakes and tremendous struggles that teens face on a daily basis and provides a framework that empowers them to create their own roadmap to success. The seven habits begin at the personal level—within oneself—and expand into habits that involve working, living, and thriving alongside others.

Middle Grade:

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy

Author Charlie Mackesy begins The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse as a letter from author to reader before launching into a story about a boy and his animal friends who discover life lessons though gentle adventures. Together, they turn the perceived shortcomings and failures of everyday life into compassion, friendship, and possibility.

Picture Book:

A Map Into the World, by Kano Kaila Yang, Illustrated by Seo Kim

When a girl moves into her new neighborhood, she becomes fast friends with her elderly neighbors, Bob and Ruth. She watches as the couple shares gentle moments together, sitting in the garden, sharing stories, and just spending time together. Until one winter, when Ruth dies. The girl can’t imagine Bob’s heartbreak, but somehow she knows just what he needs. With a box of chalk, she draws snow, sunshine, and… “the whole world”on Bob’s driveway. It’s his map… back out into the world.