Be Selective of Your Stories

Ling Ling, Tai

Dec 6, 2021 — 1 min read

We tell stories of our lives constantly. Stories are repeated in our heads and to anyone who is listening.

Your life stories are almost always made up of relationships. They come from personal experiences and the people in your life; your family, relationships and community.

These stories serve essential purposes.

Stories serve as reminders, the remnants of your life's suffering and survival. It protects us from potential suffering in the future. For example, your father neglected you as a child. And so, you learn to disregard him as an adult to protect yourself from disappointment.

Stories serve as justification for your current actions and condition. For example, you were deeply heartbroken by your spouse's betrayal. And so, you close your heart to other potential loves by avoidance, distractions or being "difficult".

If unchecked, these stories can become barriers to opportunities for a better life and a better you.

Be selective of your stories. Choosing stories doesn't mean forgetting the past. It means recognising that the past stays is in the past. What happens today is the potential for new stories.

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