Do you have stories that you tell all of the time?
I don’t mean the stories about what you did on vacation or the time you fell out of a tree or the time you met Leonard Nimoy at the 7-Eleven or the ones you share to illustrate a point and things like that, I mean the stories you tell about why you can’t do something or can’t change something or have to keep doing something.
I’m talking about the story or stories that contain all of the excuses that you use to explain, justify and defend the choices that you have made and continue making.
So right now, do an exercise with me (no jumping jacks involved, I promise!!) — think about those stories you ARE telling. Even if you believe that you don’t tell stories, consider the times that you make excuses or justify why something is or is not happening in your life — THOSE are the stories. So, let’s continue.
Which stories are you telling to others?
Which stories are you telling TO YOURSELF?
Are they even the same stories or are they different?
Do you believe the stories? Do you try to FORCE yourself believe them?
How long have you had the stories? Have you told them so long that everyone in your life knows them?
As I said before, these stories are your excuses; they are your limitations and your defenses. Every time you repeat your story you make it real to you and for you. When you repeat that story you solidify it into existence and into reality and create your future to match that story. Is that what you would really like to continue doing?
So look at one of the stories that you tell.
When you tell that story, what comes to mind for you?
What does it prevent you from doing or keep you doing? What need is it fulfilling? Are you hiding behind it?
What are you defending for or against with it and justifying with it?
Those stories “speak up for your limitations” and defend those limitations and hold them in place!
Stories justify making the choices that you made and attempt to make that choice right. After all, if you get something right then everything in your life will work – or at least that’s what you believe. Story is about the validation, justification and rightness of your choices that you made and are continuing to make.
Stories help you avoid what is really going on and keep you focusing on the story. What are you avoiding by staying in your story? What are you refusing to acknowledge by staying in your story?
People often won’t change their story because they don’t want to change their choice and they want to prove that that choice was right. If that choice wasn’t right, then they were WRONG!! And again … we don’t want to be wrong!
What don’t you want to change?
Again, think about those stories. Are you tired of telling — and hearing — your story? Try this: when you get to the end of the story say, “WOW, that was fun!” Often you are boring yourself to death by telling that story. So say “I was boring myself to death with that. You know what? That story sucks! What am I doing?” And usually you will stop telling it so much.
Even if you have allowed that story to become so much a part of your life, you can let it go. Even if you have bought into it and make it so real, that story is not more real or powerful that you are, you can stop telling it, stop believing it, stop giving it life.
What if your life was about creating and choosing rather than about your problems or your story?
Not sure where to start? Ask yourself a few questions like:
What do I love so much about trauma and drama that keeps me telling this story?
- If I wasn’t telling my story, what would I be aware of?
- If I stopped buying into my story, what could I change in my life?
- If I wasn’t buying into my story, what could I be and create?
And see what changes!!!
Are you willing to change your life?
Stop telling those stories and make a different choice!
Would you like more? Check out “Masks Are For Halloween: Stop Hiding Your Abilities” by clicking here.
