I have had the privilege to listen to, and be part of the story of many people’s lives in my practice. I view our lives as a series of events, and we connect these events in a way that create a story of who we are. These stories are usually developed from a belief that we have about ourselves, and then we look for events in our life to validate such belief. We tend to focus on the negative and are often our own worst critic. When we do this, we create a narrow view of who we are; we do not encompass all of us. We tend to overlook events that would counter the negative belief about ourselves, because it does not fit with the story we have created about who we are. This story can often lead to unhealthy emotional coping strategies, self-defeating belief systems, lack of self-care, etc. When we do this, we open the door to stress, anxiety, and depression in our lives.
Have you ever reflected on the story you have created for yourself? I encourage you to do so. I encourage you to look at the events you have used to connect the dots of your life story. Ask yourself: Are there events I am missing or have overlooked? Is it possible to attach new meaning to an old event, and see it through a different lens? When we create a story through a postive-based lens, it may dramatically impact who we see ourselves as.