Your life is a story….so what are you choosing to write?

Much of what we believe and experience about our lives comes from years of conditioning and how we perceive and believe most situations. As a result, we tend to create stories that we tell ourselves about situations and moments we either create or are faced with.

So, what stories are you experiencing and writing today?

For me, I have a couple stories I will share with you that I am experiencing today. They include: “I am enjoying my new vehicle I picked up last night at the dealership” and “I am feeling very happy today”.

I happen to ask a friend I know what they were experiencing today and they proceeded to say the following, “I feel very down and out today and I am not sure why”. I then asked her, “Is that how you want to feel today?” and she replied, “Well, no”. I then asked her why she thought she felt down and out, and she thought for a moment and then started to tell me the reason, or what I like to refer to as the “story”. She said “I think I feel very down because…………….”

While what follows the “because” portion of her comment is relatively important, in reality it is her opinion, or the story she is telling herself about the situation. When we add anything to statements such as “I am……” or “This happened because……” we are adding our own beliefs and thoughts to our stories, and get this, these stories may or may not be true ultimately.

Some people are pessimists, or they naturally think of the worse case scenario in most situations that they are faced with. Now, imagine how all their stories are ending. Worst yet, some people even begin to experience and live out the story they have created, which can lead to stress, frustration, suffering, and even anger and resentment. For example, my friend said, “I feel very down today because I woke up and didn’t feel like going into my boring job”. Every time that my friend tells herself that story, or thought, how do you think she feels? Possibly frustrated, stressed, and even a little hopeless?

Now, what if she re-wrote her story to be more positive or inspiring? What if she said to herself, “I feel very down today about my boring job, but I will take steps to find a more challenging job”, or “I feel very down today and want to feel happy so I will do something that makes me happy”? If these were the stories my friend was writing for herself, how do you think those would leave her feeling? Probably not frustrated or stressed. She actually might feel more empowered and inspired.

I would like for you to ask yourself today, what kind of stories have I been writing lately? What stories do I want to write?

Be aware that you have the choice to create and write your own stories and endings to each and every situation that you come across, or are faced with. It is true that we get faced with situations that just get dealt to us (e.g. tragedy or illness), however, how we react to each situation is our choice and in our control. This can be a very empowering and even freeing realization.

I challenge each of you today, and the rest of this week, to look at some of the situations you are being faced with and ask yourself, “How do I perceive this situation”? Also ask yourself, “What kind of story am I attaching to this situation”? Then see if you can create and write a more inspiring ending that could be just as true, if not truer then the original ending.

Happy writing everyone!