The stories we are told
(By our parents, siblings, spouse, teachers, friends, peers, managers, reports, society)
- Be humble, treat others as you like to be treated
- The nail that sticks out will be hammered down
- Men should behave this way in such situation, Women that way in other situation
- The leaders will have everything figured out, or we can’t change them anyway
The stories we tell ourselves
- What I can or cannot do
- Why something is easy or difficult
- What kind of person I am
- What if?
The stories we tell others
(To our families, friends, co-workers, communities)
- What we believe in that is important to us
- Our own history and lessons at home, at school, at work
- How we see the world and our roles in it
- What matters, why it matters, and what we are doing about it
Is the world in your story bigger or smaller compared to the stories you are told?
Every life is a story, and we write and rewrite them everyday. Most of the time they are congruent. But if not, the good news is we can rewrite it.