The stories we tell ourselves

Stories. I've thought a lot about how stories fit into our lives -- they really help define how we see ourselves. There are the overt stories, I live in Seattle, I like to read, etc., etc.. Then there are the covert stories -- the ones we tell ourselves surreptitiously.

The story plaguing me most these days is "the economy is terrible, I'll never find a job." Its cousin is "it takes so much work to look for a job." And the terrible siren song "I'd rather be creating."

While they're covert, they don't even really try to be invisible. When I ask myself what the current storyline is, my self answers pretty readily. We have a nice agreement, self and I. I promise to listen when self talks. I just need to remember to ask!

I do KNOW how to do the work to overcome these negative stories, it's a matter of making the process conscious. And not beating myself up over my perceived "lack" -- to be as compassionate with myself as I am with others.

And with the proper synchronicity, Havi Brooks deals with that very kind of topic today -- remembering to use the tools I have. Because stories are not concrete unchanging things. I can tell them differently. I can take that magic potion, or change the atmosphere or the energy. I am the one making the choices. I can choose to suffer or not.

Stay tuned for new episodes of the story.