Rewriting the Stories

We operate from narratives. We have overarching narratives that help us see the world and how it works in certain ways and then the sub-stories that inform what's going on in our

own lives in given situations. But how often do we stop and reexamine these stories to see if they are still true or if they ever were? When do we take the time to ask ourselves how the narratives are serving us or if it's time to write new ones?

Let me use a simple illustration of how this might work. When I turned 40, I found that the same old workouts and such didn't get the same results and I added a few pounds and a couple of inches. No, not the full Covid "19," but enough that I knew something needed to change.

It was frustrating to say the least. I was running to the gym and back, working out hard, eating healthy, drinking sensibly, and still not seeing any results. Clearly the universe was punishing me for being fit in my pre-40 life!

But then I stopped and asked myself how true the story was that I was telling myself. First of all, the overarching narrative that the universe would punish me for any reason was just silly, so that had to go.

Next, I examined the sub-stories: How much of my run to the gym was actually a run and how much was me walking while switching podcasts or texting, etc? How hard was I really working out and how many sets and reps was I doing compared to what I used to do? How healthy was I actually eating and how much pizza and beer actually made its way into my weekly diet? When I honestly reflected on these questions I was able to rewrite the story and make the necessary adjustments toward the results that I want.

And such is life. Old Socrates was right when he said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Why would we want to keep operating inside of a false story that WE wrote? Whether it's about vocation, relationships, health, or anything, if we have the power to write a false story that keeps us trapped with the same constant results, then we surely have the power to write the TRUE story that will free us.

Just a thought . . . . .