Helloooo good people. I hope you are doing fantastic on this fine day. I’m going to make this blog post short and sweet for you with something that was on my mind today. One of my friends suggested I read a book by Jen Sincero called “You are a Badass”. I haven’t been very excited about reading throughout my adult life but have recently challenged myself to make it a part of my normal routine. The book focuses on your mentality and how to change your way of thinking, stop doubting yourself, and live a better life. It’s an easy read and only 250 pages, I’d recommend it.
The latest chapter dived into how everyone has “stories” they tell themselves. Characteristics or lifestyle choices about themselves that hold us back from creating the life we really want. Maybe you tell yourself you can’t do anything because you’re broke. You can’t leave the job you have even though your happy because this is what you went to school for. You stink at relationships. You are depressed. You can’t get up early. You aren’t a runner. You can’t get up early.
The stories we tell ourselves creates our reality and as long as we tell ourselves these things we will always believe it and never get out of that mentality. More so she challenges you to focus on what you are getting out of telling yourself that story? For example, what if you tell yourself you stink at relationships? Well what you get out of it may be that you never have to commit. You don’t ever have to risk getting hurt by being vulnerable and you get to complain about being single to others probably hoping to get some sympathy along the way. Or maybe your job is suffering a bit and you keep telling yourself you can’t make any money because there’s little to no good clients out there. Well there’s a lot of successful people in your industry making money doing the same thing you are. What sets them apart? If you allow yourself to indulge in self pity and believe the negativity you create in your mind you will never change that reality.
The stories we tell ourselves are very powerful on the choices and lifestyles we choose to live. It’s amazing how many “stories” you’ll realize you tell yourself when you sit down and think about who you tell yourself you are or what you tell yourself you can and can’t do. I’ll give you one minor example I figured out of myself. I always told myself I can’t focus long enough to read a book. I’m not a book reader. I’ll get bored. Really? No, I was just choosing to pay attention to TV or my phone or find my pillow instead. Changing that focus to I need to read this 250-page book in 15 days, it’s amazing how you just do it. While that may seem like a cake walk to most of you, that’s progress for me! I have a lot more “stories” I’ve realized I have been telling myself that I am excited to turn upside down. It really could have a crazy impact on my life.
So, I challenge you to take a look at yourself and what “stories” you are telling yourself. Are they facts or are they excuses to take the easy way out? Challenge yourself, get rid of your story, take it head on and disrupt that pattern. Life is much better when you feel free.