Stories Cloud Our Reality Lesson 3

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The reason that our own stories are so powerful is because we tend to believe them. We think that we have a clear understanding of a situation regarding others, and ourselves - and based on this knowledge we come to a number of conclusions. We rarely stop to think about just how factual (or complete) this information really is.

What if the stories you are telling yourself are clouding your judgement?

All too often, the stories we tell ourselves aren’t fully true. They are based on our assumptions and beliefs that have developed throughout the course of our lives. If you believe these half-truths, it’s going to severely cloud your judgement and your perceptions.

You will make decisions based upon what you believe to be true rather than what is actually true. Stories can cause us to become ingrained in our thought patterns, making it difficult to see different points of view.

If your judgement is clouded by what you believe to be true about yourself, for example, you won’t always make the best decisions that are rooted in your own best interest.

The beliefs we have about ourselves, our strengths and our weaknesses, our character traits and our faculties to change, rarely stem from reliable sources. They are built on experience. Maybe you overheard something unpleasant people said about you, or you get stuck on that one event that did not go too well. To create a damaging belief, it doesn’t take many occurrences. It can take as little as one! Once we plant the seed of belief in our brain, we focus on finding confirmation. It’s much easier to confirm a belief, than to question it, because we do this at a subconscious level. It does not require active challenging, and that’s where the danger lies.

So if the stories we tell ourselves are really based on beliefs or assumptions, and these stories are holding you back, how hard would it be to change the story you live in?

Lesson Resources

The story you believe about yourself determines your success

Les Brown - One Of The Best People Who Happened To Me

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Let's talk about shame

According to Brené Brown, a researcher at the University of Houston, shame is an “intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” It's an emotion that affects all of us and profoundly shapes the way we interact in the world.

NOTE: Shame is a focus on self, guilt is a focus on behavior. Shame is “I am bad.” Guilt is “I did something bad.” .

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"I have this title tattooed on my body; "Don't Believe Everything You Think." It was the catalyst for a shift in my thinking and therefore my direction in life. Understanding this simple phrase pushed me to fight those nagging negative thoughts that crowded my mind to the point that all other thoughts were fleeting and fragile. This moment can be good, this day can be good, you can make progress, you can find the answers, you can take that trip, you can move, you can change." ~Dalton Alfortish

Have you believed something that you later found wasn't true? How did it change your reality?