Recently, my family and I planned a big vacation to the island of Kauai—our first-ever trip to Hawaii. Six of us, scattered across North America (Virginia, Boston, and Canada), were eager to reunite and celebrate the New Year together. For my wife and me, it was even more special—our 35th wedding anniversary. This was a rare opportunity for our busy family to reconnect and create lasting memories. It was going to be magical.
But days before departure, things weren’t looking good. Several of us were recovering from colds, lingering coughs, and other ailments. I honestly wondered if the trip we had planned six months earlier needed to be postponed. Fear and doubt compounded, threatening to derail our best-laid plans. As our departure day approached, I grew increasingly nervous.
This was one of those moments when my imagination began to limit me. I pictured the week slipping away, each of us stuck at home instead of on the vacation we had envisioned. Preemptive disappointment began to creep in. But what I needed was for my imagination to lift me, not limit me.
As I considered rescheduling, something inside me stirred. I thought, “Why am I so quick to sabotage my dream?” I then thought of my younger self—just ten years back—who wouldn’t cancel a trip unless absolutely necessary. I realized, “I’m still that guy!” The same person who once embraced challenges head-on, fueled by determination and optimism. That realization reminded me that resilience and courage are still within me—waiting to be called upon in moments of doubt.
My inner dialogue kicked in: “Why cancel now? Let it play out. If we’re not meant to go, we’ll know the day of. Until then, the light is still green. Who says this can’t happen?”
That internal shift reactivated my imagination, making it a strength. I chose to focus on the possible instead of the impossible. I imagined my family and me making the trip. Despite the thought of flying in cramped seats with lingering coughs, I pictured us boarding the plane, hearing the captain’s welcome, seeing the ocean, the beach, and the palm trees. I could imagine hearing the waves crashing on the shore. I imagined it possible. Slowly, my imagination lifted me as I pictured it happening.
When Saturday finally arrived, our plans remained intact. Yet, the drive to the airport made us question if it was all a mirage. Traffic was a nightmare due to storm preparations in our region. Despite leaving early, our estimated arrival time kept slipping. Worry crept back in.
I took a deep breath. “Control what you can control, Gustavson.” I realized the Virginia Highway Department was pre-treating roads for an impending storm, slowing traffic to a crawl. Just as we considered alternate routes, traffic suddenly cleared—the salt trucks had exited. Hope was alive again.
An hour later, we arrived at the airport, checked our bags, and breezed through security. We even had time to spare—a small miracle.
Five hours later, we reunited with the rest of our family in Denver and boarded our next flight to Kauai. Seventeen hours after leaving home, all six of us landed on the island, greeted by a five-letter word that marked the mindset I needed all along: ALOHA.
ALOHA is more than a greeting in Hawaii; it reflects peace, compassion, and mercy. It is a mindset that can trigger imagination for good instead of doubt.
To help me anchor this thought, I began to pull apart what each letter in ALOHA can stand for, resulting in five simple action steps:
Adopting this mindset offers us focus for each new day.
For instance, while I was in Kauai, I took a minute each day to envision the potential possibilities. Whether it was experiencing the ocean breeze, exploring where they filmed garden scenes in movies like Jurassic Park, or marveling at the towering cliffs—I allowed myself to imagine it first. That imagination opened the door to unforgettable experiences beyond what I could have imagined, such as witnessing whale sightings from just outside our window, snorkeling with sea turtles, and exploring the rugged Na Pali Coast by helicopter. Despite unpredictable weather, we experienced an incredible journey that we might have missed if I hadn’t allowed myself to imagine it first.
So I want to encourage you to embrace this mindset in your own life.
This brings me back to worry, where this story all started. Had I worried about the rain or things beyond my control, I wouldn’t have been as open to the great experiences that were available. Worry is like a shadow creeping in, quietly dimming the light of our dreams before they have a chance to shine. That's because worry is a limiting belief that keeps us from embracing life.
ALOHA is the opposite of worry. It's saying hello to the possible. The literal meaning of ALOHA is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.” It’s about focus. I encourage you to let this mindset shape your thinking.
Imagine it Possible.
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