Never Take No for an Answer

I believe that one of the most limiting words in the English vocabulary is the word "can't." Another word that is just as restricting is the word "no." Of course there are times when it is necessary to say "no, I can't," but there are other times when one should not take no for an answer. Where would Lucille Ball, Amelia Earhart, and other successful people be today if they took to heart all of the negative and discouraging words of those in their lives who had little faith in their ability to achieve? In my life, I have observed positive results gained from not taking no for an answer in the lives of several different people.

Physical ailments quite often carry a big " no, you can't!" scenario. For example, I have a friend named Alexander who was diagnosed with throat cancer many years ago. One of his doctors told him that he could never speak again. A few minutes later a nurse entered his room and told him to take a tape recorder and to practice speaking in it diligently. She told Alexander that , if he continuously practiced without fail, he should be able to put words together within six months. When six months came, he surprised everyone with his first two words; " Can I have two cards, please?" Not only did Alexander refuse to take no for an answer with regards to speaking, but he also refused to surrender to his cancer. As a result, Alexander is now a cancer survivor. Another example of someone refusing to take no for an answer with regards to his circumstances is a fellow bowler who bowled from a wheelchair.

My husband and I used to bowl in tournaments, and one of our fellow competitors was in a wheelchair. He would push himself to the line in the alley, and he would throw the ball down the lane with one arm. He had at least a 200 average, and he could easily defeat the rest of us who bowled without a wheelchair. He also participated in the Special Olympics as well as in other bowling tournaments for the physically challenged, and he won most of the events he entered. This man is another example of what I mean by not taking no for an answer. No one should ever give up on themselves, even if others around them don't share the same faith that obstacles can be overcome. If you want to achieve something, then by all means try it, and do not say no to yourself , ever!

I went to Universal Studios awhile back, and I went inside the " Tribute To Lucy " exhibit. On one of the walls I read how a teacher at a drama school told Lucy that she had no acting talent, and how she should not pursue an acting career. Had Lucy allowed that misguided teacher to derail her, we would not be enjoying the " I Love Lucy " show today (as well as her two other shows "Here's Lucy," and "The Lucy Show").

In the movie "Amelia", there was a scene which depicted Amelia Earhart encouraging a young girl who wanted to be like her and fly professionally. Amelia's character said, " If I listened to all the people who told me I can't fly, then I would never be flying." Amelia told the girl to be persistent and to stay her course, despite what people tell her. In other words, she should not take no for an answer.

Sometimes the one who tells us no is the fearful person inside of us who doesn't want to fail. I have experienced this recently, when I was asked to lead my twelve step meeting. Even though I was scared of making a fool of myself, I took on the responsibility of leading the meeting, and I not only received positive feedback from others afterwards, but I found that I could do things that I have never done before.

I strongly believe that no one should ever allow anyone or anything to prevent them from reaching their goals or,at least, to attempt to achieve them. I am very inspired by my friend Alexander, my fellow bowler in a wheelchair, Lucille Ball, and Amelia Earhart. None of them took no for an answer, and they all achieved far more than they ever expected to. It is my hope that I, through my words, will inspire others to go for their dreams, despite any obstacle they must confront. In other words, NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!