The Stories We Tell Ourselves

How much time do we spend justifying what we have done or not done through the telling and retelling of our stories? Just as children remember every word of favorite bedtime stories they hear night after night, so we remember the events in our lives by the stories we tell.  Stories are so much more than facts strung together. They are our interpretation, our rationalization for why we did what we did or why we didn’t do what we didn’t do. We hold ourselves prisoners to our singular interpretation of the facts our stories weave, ironclad in our belief that this is the only possible interpretation.  The stories allow us to excuse our actions and pass off the responsibilities for things we have done.

What if we didn’t fall in love with our story?  What if we step back and see that it is only a story, and more importantly, our interpretation of the facts – colored with justifications and blame?  How much time and energy would we free up? What new possibilities would be revealed?

I invite you to ask yourself: 
What story am I telling about my career right now? My boss and colleagues? What story am I telling about my relationship with money? My spouse/partner? My family members?

Are you ready to write a new story about an area of your life, a relationship or a circumstance that you find unfulfilling or feel resigned about? I challenge you to give it a try and see what happens.  The future is yet uncreated, not preordained by the past. We can change the story we tell ourselves about our past, and by doing that, we can change our future.

The decision you make will be the future that you create!