I love stories.

I read them in books, connect with them in discussions, and enjoy telling them.

I’m a writer, so I create them too. Stories have always resonated deeply within me—except the ones I carry in my own mind.

I never imagined that my mind could be capable of weaving so many stories on a daily basis. Switching from negative thoughts to positive ones was normal for me, and although I understood their consequences, I couldn’t believe they could actually run my life.

It’s hard to believe that something so invisible yet so loud could dictate our every move. We wholeheartedly trust that we are in charge; however, there’s a larger force that’s driving most of our daily decisions.

The shocking truth is we might not be the ones in charge; the stories we tell ourselves are. They control every single action and behavior. They live within our minds and shape our entire life every single second. We listen to them without realizing that they are the masters of our own destiny.

Our primary caregivers, friends, and experiences have shaped these stories. Our internal world has saved them and kept them safe for us.

We all have different stories:

>> I’m not enough.

>> I’m not successful.

>> I can’t change.

>> I’m powerless.

>> I’m worthless.

>> I don’t deserve this.

>> I’m unlovable.

>> I’m ugly.

>> I can’t.

>> I’m unlucky. 

>> I’m helpless.

>> I’m a failure.

We might even misinterpret things or weave a totally different outcome that has nothing to do with reality:

>> They aren’t nice to me. 

>> They are nice to me, so they must want something.

>> They talk behind my back.

>> They judge me. 

>> They are mad at me.

>> I will die all alone.

>> This won’t work.

>> No one appreciates me.

>> They think I’m difficult.

These are just examples of some of the narratives we might be living out. Sadly, some of us refuse to believe that the stories we tell ourselves can either help us or stop us. They may call it luck; I call it cognitive inheritance.

It’s not our fault that we have inherited these false narratives. They have been passed down to us through many generations and have made us believe that they are real. I’m here to tell you they’re not.

We can’t choose the narrative that our nervous system learns, but we can change it. I know from experience that life becomes far better when we stop living on autopilot. We need to wake up and be brave enough to uncover the triggers and memories that have helped shape our internal narratives.

Once we know the origin of our stories, we can rewrite them. We, then, can create happier, better stories that push us forward. Taking small steps is important to end our self-limiting beliefs. Adopt a long-term approach that focuses on kindness and empowerment.

I know that breaking old mental patterns is easier said than done. But we can only do this work if we are truly fed up with our reality. This mental and emotional overload is telling us something: rewrite your story.

Define what you want. Examine what no longer serves you. Take action. You’ve got this.

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