Stories

Once upon a time there was a girl with a million different excuses as to why she couldn’t do the thing, a thousand reasons she couldn’t have the thing and a hundred obstacles stacked against her. She stayed stuck where she was forever and ever. The end.

That’s a craptastic story.

No one is buying that book but everyone is writing it.

We all have these stories we tell ourselves. You know the ones. The ones that keep you stuck right where you don’t want to be. I’m too busy to workout. I love food too much to change my eating habits. It’s genetic. I’m too old to start something new. I don’t know where to start. I’ll never meet someone. Online dating sucks. I can’t get ahead. I’m just bad with money.

All of these things may very well have some truth to them but truth is very much about perspective. Two people can have the same problem and hold completely opposite beliefs about it. It is what you choose to believe about yourself and the obstacle that matters. If you choose to believe that nothing can be done, then nothing can be done. BUT if you choose to believe that if there is a will there's a way, you WILL find a way. It really comes down to how much you want something. If you want it badly enough, you will make it happen.

You can either be the hero or the victim.

A victim says, “whoa is me, there is nothing I can do. Sigh, I’d love to have a six pack BUT I’m just not built that way. I have all of these organs and fatty tissue in the way. It’s genetic. Nothing can be done.” A hero says, “Imma gonna go get me a six pack. I know there is a genetic disposition for obesity in my family, BUT I am going to do some research and hire a trainer and figure this sh*t out. And I’m going to keep trying until I make it happen.” Victim. Hero. It is a decision.

Sometimes these stories are running in the background, like an undetected virus. We don’t even know we are holding these beliefs. They sabotage our best laid plans. Just when we are about to launch a new program, an Ad Block pops up and crashes the whole system and we are left standing there wondering what the hell happened. I thought I fixed that issue? Some of these beliefs are stubborn AF. You unplug one and it literally finds a different outlet and shines its light somewhere else. You have to keep unplugging them, or just blow up the whole system. If you are AWARE of them, you can keep defeating them. You just need to pay attention to what is blocking you and listen to the story you are telling.

I have some sneaky stories that pop up when I am not paying attention. Some hardwired programming that surfaces at the most inconvenient times and blocks my desires. I have to change those stories immediately. Like a Whack-a-mole game for unhelpful beliefs. “Men can’t be trusted”. Whack. “I can’t afford it”. Whack. “I’m fat” Whack. Or one of the most persistent ones, “I’m tired”. Whack. Whack. That one pops up a lot. I don’t even see it coming. I’ll just find myself saying it under my breath sometimes and I’m not even that tired. Now, I am a working single mom, so, yes, I do a lot and there are times when I am pretty drained, BUT how on earth do I expect to have more energy if I’m literally telling the never ending story of my exhaustion? This will not do. So, I have to consciously unprogram that belief. Start telling myself a different story. Congratulate myself when I feel energized. Be grateful for renewed energy. Change the channel and tell a different story.

Sometimes life throws some mighty big obstacles in our path. The task before us may feel almost impossible. It would be a helluva lot easier to just say “I can’t” and do nothing. What it all comes down to is how badly we want whatever is on the other side of that mountain. The hot body, the successful business, the dream house, fantastic health, financial security, it is all achievable if we get out of our own way. Stop buying into the victim’s story and unleash the inner hero in all of us. Debunk all of the myths we are telling ourselves about it and find a way. Over, under, around or through. Everything is doable if we allow ourselves to believe it.

When you let the obstacles win, you become a victim. When you do it anyway, you’re a hero.

Be a hero!

You can do it if you simply believe you can.

Change your story. Change your life.

What's your story?