What’s Your Story?
Do you ever stop and think about what you tell yourself? One of the most impactful ways that I’ve improved my life is by being more mindful and grateful for the things I have in my life.
When you step into a new mindset, you step into a new world that you get to create. It can actually be really exciting when you think about the possibility of building your mindset, thus building the life you want..
What’s the story you tell yourself?
Is your story that you’re too busy or don’t have enough money or that you’re sick or in pain? Think about 1 or 2 consistent stories you tell yourself. I think you’ll be surprised at how frequently those thoughts weave their way into your mind. Some of you may have these thoughts several times a day, which can be draining.
For example, do you ever hear someone say over and over again about how busy they are? Or someone who is always talking about their pain or illness? Don’t get me wrong, being unwell is no fun. I had two years after my car accident in 2019 when I was in chronic pain. I had shooting nerve pain that went down my arm all day, every day for 2 years. It was pretty much all I could have focused on and it could have been life-draining. I had to change the narrative in my head. I had to instead tell myself that I was PAIN FREE!! I made it my daily mantra. “I have no pain, I am healed” is what I would say to myself over and over again. I forced that to become my new story. The alternative would have sucked me into a massive downward spiral that I may not have gotten out of, which was the opposite of what I desired!
YOU SEE, THE STORY YOU TELL YOURSELF SUBCONSCIOUSLY HOLDS YOU BACK FROM WHAT YOU REALLY WANT!!! Once you know this, you can change your story!
Another example is someone who has a chronic illness. Do you know someone who is ill and that’s all they talk about? It almost becomes their identity because they eat, sleep, drink their story…”I am sick”. For some, it’s become so ingrained in them that they may not know who they are without their illness. I know a few people who talk about their illness every single time we speak, oftentimes, mentioning it several times throughout the conversation. Your mind is powerful, especially when it comes to your health, and it can have a HUGE impact on your health and outcomes. How does someone expect to get well when all they focus on is their illness…remember, energy flows where attention goes.
My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 leukemia in 1992. She was given a very short time to live. But my mom was feisty and she was a fighter. The story she told herself was that she would fight and beat the cancer, and fight she did. She saddled up for trial treatments in Germany, investigated alternative treatments and never gave up. She ended up passing away in 1994 and outlived her initial prognosis because she told herself she would fight to live. My dad, however, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2007. He would say that he didn’t think he would beat the cancer. He would say he didn’t think he had it in him or that he didn’t want to fight. He died within a year of his diagnosis, just a few days before his stem cell transplant.
My point is, your thoughts are powerful. WHAT YOU TELL YOURSELF IS WHAT YOU BECOME. No disrespect to those who chose not to fight; that is not for me to judge and I respect their decision either way. However, if you want to be well, you cannot walk around talking about and thinking about your illness. You need to put all your thoughts and energy into being well!! If you want to have a better quality of life, you cannot think about how your life sucks! The story you tell yourself is what you will manifest. You can either manifest healing & happiness or manifest illness & sadness…it’s your choice.
So how do you make change?
Step #1: Identify The Stories You Want To Change
Ask yourself what you want from your life? What are 1-2 consistent thoughts that you want to change? Do you want to carry less weight, do you want to be financially free, do you want to have more time for the things you enjoy? Whatever it is. Identify 1-2 consistent thoughts you want to change.
Step #2: Write Your New Stories
Think about the new story you want to tell yourself. Normally the new story is the opposite of the old story. “I don’t have time” can be “I have time freedom” or “I am in control of my time”. WRITE YOUR NEW STORY DOWN. Writing things down embeds them deeper into your subconscious. Come up with a mantra or words that you will use every time the old story pops into your head or comes out of your mouth. What can you say to yourself that would make your life more wonderful?
Step #3: Say This Not That
Now be conscious of when you are speaking your old story, and quickly correct yourself with your new mantra or story. Say it outloud, write it down again if you have to. I wrote down my “I have no pain, I am healed” mantra and put it on my computer, on my phone, set it as a reminder on my calendar for first thing in the morning, etc. The point is, that new story was more top of mind than my old story.
Step #4: Practice Gratitude
I have learned that when we have a solid gratitude practice it keeps everything in perspective. You can literally find joy in every single day. Joy doesn’t have to be big moments, but can be little moments too.
Step #4: Be Intentional
You have to allow for the time and space in your life for these new stories.
Get up first thing in the morning and recite your new mantra or the new story you will tell yourself. Say it three times. Then end with something you’re grateful for. I personally love to start my day with Priming. I was introduced to Priming at a Tony Robbins event. It has changed the way I start my day and has given me energy and gratitude that I didn’t know was possible. Try it for yourself. Commit to doing this for 14 days and see how you feel. Priming Video
Do this again during the day (perhaps at lunch). Sometimes it can be difficult to keep your energy up during the day, especially around mid-afternoon. Instead of grabbing a cup of coffee, get up, walk around, go outside…speak your new mantras, over and over and over again. Say them three times. End with something you’re grateful for.
Before you go to sleep, repeat this process. Always end the evening with a grateful heart.
If you want to have a different life, you’ve got to change the story you’re telling yourself. What you think is what you will receive…change your thoughts, change your life!