Recently I’ve been thinking about the stories we tell ourselves. Not the kind you find in fairytales, but the kind of stories we grew up with.
To clarify what I mean, let’s look at what this looked like when you were a kid and what this looks like now.
As a kid, if you grew up with a family full of doctors or lawyers, you may have been inclined to become a doctor or lawyer. Or, if you grew up in a neighborhood where everyone got married and had kids, you may have taken that on as your story.
As an adult, this might mean settling for a relationship that was less than you truly desired or deserved (maybe because of the aforementioned story around getting married and having kids) or maybe you’re in a job you’re not excited about, where you’re just going through the motions. If you’ve ever said, “back to reality”, this likely applies to you.
But coming home from a two-week vacation got me thinking:
What if your reality was so good, it never felt like reality, and instead, it always felt like you were on vacation? (I.e. – What if you never said “Back to reality.” again and there was no difference or separation between a vacation and your everyday life?)
As part of that, what if you chose from love (of yourself and others) instead of fear?
And, most importantly, what if you could have it all?
If your mind is taking you “back to reality”, I’m going to ask you to stop right there!
You see, when we were growing up, we often lived in limiting environments, experiencing limiting beliefs that told us what was and wasn’t possible, so, for instance, if your parents struggled with money, fought a lot, or were just plain unhappy, you likely took that on.
But are these stories really working for you? Sure, they’re keeping you safe and protecting you from playing big in your life, but are you happy?
And, more importantly, who’s really telling this story? It may be more your parents’ story (or their parents’) versus your truth.
So, I’m going to ask you to step out of your mind and step into how you would feel if you released some of these stories, reminding you if fear comes up to really identify whose fear that is. (If, for example, your mom or dad were scared of running out of money or being alone indefinitely, you might experience this when you think of being true to yourself.) The key here is tapping into the good feelings you’ll feel as you honor yourself and returning to those, especially when a family member or friend’s voice pops in.
And, bigger than that, the most important piece here is creating your own reality, so that you don’t dread returning to your “real” life. After all, how many weeks a year do you spend here versus on vacation? Exactly.
So, it’s time to let go of your old stories and make that never ending story more like the ones you read about as a kid!
What’s your never-ending story and what’s one step you’re going to take to start to shift it? Comment below.