Feeling Negative? How to Let Go of Unhelpful Thoughts
“Life is like a story; it unfolds its beauty and tragedy along with your thoughts.” ―
You know how you can predict how your typical boy-meets-girl romcom will go and yet you’re still excited to see the movie? That’s because the human brain is hard-wired for stories.
Life rarely goes as planned, and our life story is how we all make sense of an unpredictable world and our place in it. We turn a complex, disjointed situation into a plot with a beginning, middle and an ending – including the occasional twist, cliffhanger, villains and heroes.
Life stories are not a chronological summary of events that occurred, but more a fluid narrative of how you interpret those life events. The messages our parents gave us growing up, the experiences we’ve had, the environment we live in – they all shape the story we tell ourselves about life, the world around us and our own identity.
In turn, those beliefs shape our daily reality. For example, if deep down you feel that you aren’t good enough, you’ll probably react differently to a comment about your looks than your confident friend. Beliefs about your basic personality tend to create a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you consider yourself a shy person, you’re less likely to apply for that top position you secretly want. That’s why the life story you tell yourself matter much more than you think.
Narrative psychology tries to separate the person from their problems, by framing their story in a larger context. What’s more, the techniques help to create an alternative, more constructive storyline than the one you’re telling yourself right now.
Are you ready for the next chapter? Read how you can turn the page and watch a better story unfold with these 14 life story quotes.
Which life story quote inspires you to rewrite your story?
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