The stories we make up

Many of us have been surrounded by stories all our lives, since we were tiny in fact. When we are wee, we love the familiarity of hearing the same stories over and over. Young children love repetition, they love to have the same story read to them night after night. 

I’m not sure our need for familiar stories really changes as we get older. We all have a story (or stories), some of our story is conscious - we are able to name it and talk about. Some of our story however unconscious, we don’t even realise it’s a story we are telling ourselves.  We are hard wired to have a story that makes sense of things so whenever something happens we immediately seek a story that explains it.  It doesn’t necessarily matter if that story does not serve us well, sometimes the story we make up holds us back, limits us.  

Have you noticed what stories you tell yourself? 

They show up in the language you use. Do you use words like ‘just’ - I hear that a lot...’but I’m just...a teacher, a mum, a small business...’ the list is endless

What story are you telling yourself?