Years ago, I worked at the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. One day, as I was passing the elephants, I suddenly stopped, 1by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front legs. It was 2that they could, at any time, break free, 3strangely enough, they didn't. I asked a trainer the 4for this.

    He said, “When they were very young, we used the 5 size rope, and it was enough to hold them. As they grow up, they believe the rope can 6 hold them, so they never try.”

    Like the elephants, how many of you believe you cannot do a thing, simply because you7 once before? Do you often tell 8 “I cannot dance” or “I'm not good at math”?

         These are 9 of self limiting beliefs. You must realize you're 10 for them. A limiting belief that says you're poor at math may have 11 as a reaction to the embarrassing experiences related to math, or the remarks made by someone important to you which12 you. The cool thing is that because you create the 13you can choose to change it! Here is how:

    First, 14 it with “I am good at math”. Once you change your 15 , your subconsciousness(潜意识) will make this 16 by driving you to act. That might be to take a math course or to go online 17 help, etc. Gradually you'll really see your math skills are 18 .

    This is such a simple process that you can 19 it today. Don't be like the poor elephants and make your life 20 in a place because of a limiting belief you developed years ago.

    Christmas 1940 makes me misty-eyed every time I think about it. In the hard times, people 1 one another. We 2 food, clothing, bedding and household items and gave them to the needy.

    That Christmas we students found ourselves 3 toys we collected and lading packages for 4. As we presented the gifts, we saw 5 in many faces, especially those of the children.

    We had a few more 6 to make on Christmas morning. The air was heavy and frozen to the bone. For several hours, we knocked on doors. But as the cold hours passed, our 7 gradually faded.

When we 8 headed home, someone 9 a small house down a canal bank. None of us knew who lived there, 10 we wondered if there were 11 . We still had a doll, two trucks, some small toys, chocolate Santas and a box of groceries. We decided to make one last visit. When we knocked on the door, a young woman answered it, looking at us 12. Three small children watched from behind her skirt—a little girl of about 2, and boys perhaps 4 and 5 years old.

    “Merry Christmas,” we 13 as we bent down and handed the gift-wrapped packages to the children and the box of groceries to the 14 , whose eyes widened 15 . She slowly smiled, then quickly said, “Come in”.

    The room was 16 as the children looked at their mother, wondering if the gifts were really for them. The little girl 17 her doll, and the boys grasped the trucks as they sought a(an) 18 . She put her arms 19 them and said in a 20 voice, “I told you Santa Claus would come.”

    As a child I was always good at drawing and art. I won1 got constant attention, and even saw my face in the2 and on television because of my natural ability to 3.

    Most people who4 to come across something that they are good at are 5 to take it and run with it. Of course, my life was no6. From teachers, to principals, to family members7 seemingly had a ton of advice to give me in regards to art.

    All the while, my true desire was8 I entered poetry, essay, and short - story contests and9them all. It was such a contrast from my artistic10 experience! It was so bad that I11 a good friend of mine who told me once, “If you are so good at drawing why do you even care about writing?12 drawing!”

    Though well intended, eighteen years later I'm 13I didn't take his words to heart. Years went by with me still writing and still occasionally entering 14.It wasn't until my first year in college that I finally got honorable 15 in a poetry contest. As a writer I've truly 16.

    I'm sure there are things in your life that are17and yet, rewarding. Endurance (忍耐), especially when it comes to things you truly love is18. Take some time to devote some more 19to the “thing” that didn't come 20and see what happens.

    Years ago, I lost my sight completely. I would do anything for a 1 . In fact, desperate and 2 , I tried every supplement, experimental trial, diet and anything anyone 3 . All for nothing.

    But now, after 25 years in physical darkness, my life is 4 than ever. The change began one day, many years ago, when I drank my tea 5 , swallowing gulps(一大口) of “poor me” and wondering what my future would 6 . Then, the doorbell rang. Janet came in and brought an idea. “Have you ever thought about working as a(n) 7 ? ” she said, “You speak Spanish. Go for it.”

    Her idea 8 me to make a phone call. And the interpreting company I contacted invited me to take a test. Thank goodness it was 9 .

    “We're so 10 with the results,” the receptionist said the next day, “that we want to send you on your first 11 tomorrow. It's in the Immigration and Naturalization Court.”

    That was the beginning. That was when I began to 12 possibilities when my blindness wouldn't get 13 . The view of my world had changed. Blindness didn't have to label me as

    14 . On the contrary, the blindness improved my ability to 15 information and present a quicker and more 16 interpretation.

    The letters from judges, praising me for my work, 17 me for the hours I'd spent studying, memorizing, and 18 .

    Blindness? Not a barrier any more. 19 , it became a handy 20 to sharpen my creativity. Not only in the courtroom, but at home, in my relationships and in the way I viewed myself.

    Manuela got up earlier and bought two bags of cat food. She began going to the1barbershop on the corner, making her weekly visit to see Hussein, the old barber. Hussein was both2and delighted to see Manuela and the bags of food. The two hurried over to the tiny food dishes lined up in the alley. Several3appeared soon.

    As the two4and made their way back inside the shop, Hussein's smile5 and he explained he was about to6the barbershop. He had been told to leave within 7 days. His7barbershop simply couldn't pay enough rent and the landlord had invited another roomer, one who wouldn't be8animals outside.

    Manuela's eyes began to9as Hussein expressed his10about the homeless cats he cared for. But as fate(命运) would have it, there was something better11for the barber and his cats. As Manuela's blog supporters read her12about Hussein, they, one after another,13donating to him and his cats. Every day for the next week, Manuela went to Hussein with the14. And on the fourth day, something unbelievable happened when Hussein was able to15a storefront in an old building near his shop. No electricity,16there was potential. Manuela and other people17to help paint and clear rubbish while electricians made all the necessary18.

    In less than two weeks, the barber was back in19again. Through the kindness of strangers,20, his and his cats' whole world was brought back.

"I'm going to fail!" My best friend cried. She and I had this conversation almost every day while we were in high school.
    The truth was that my friend never failed in any subjects. I just think that she can't accept failures because she lives her life as a perfectionist. What she fails to understand is that a lot of good can come from failures.
    For example, failure can help build relationships. Once I was cooking dinner for a friend, I was tired, and several dishes I tried to make turned out bad. I grew more and more upset until my friend told me that I shouldn't worry. She cared more about our friendship than the dishes. That day, I learned that failure doesn't always make people dislike you. In fact, after she said those words to me, I grew closer to her.
    Failure can make success evermore exciting. Every few years, there would be an important test in the PE class at our school. Students had to run a mile within eight minutes. I was never good at running, so I failed every time until the third year at school. Then I began working out regularly, and yet still failed that year. A few days later, however, the teacher gave me and some other students another chance to run and I got a pass finally! You can't imagine how excitedly I was after that. I felt the memory of the success was as sweet as honey, because I had to overcome failure to reach it.
    Now it's clear to see that failure can teach us good lessons. It's not an end, but it can be a beginning