What’s Your Story As You Look Back at 2009?
31/12/09 16:16
Oliver
Burkeman in The
Guardian has carried
out some research on people’s metaphors for
life. Common ones include: life is like a pizza, a
river or a journey. I wonder what your metaphor for
life is like?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/21/change-your-life-terrible-analogies
As you look back over 2009 or even further back, how do you describe it to yourself?
Was it a year of obstacles and hurdles which you overcame? Did you achieve great things and enjoy the adventure? Was it the best year so far . . . or was it the worst?
How we describe things to ourselves is often through the use of these different story metaphors at an unconscious level. The quality of these metaphors, positive or negative, can have a dramatic effect on how we feel now, how we experience life in hindsight, and also in relation to what lies ahead.
Take this example. If life has been difficult for you, what’s the difference between saying:
‘ My life has been one long nightmare and I can ‘t wait for it to end’ or
‘I’ve had some really tough challenges in my life, but I’m still here today and what an achievement that is!’
One has a positive spin and one has a negative spin, but the life has still been the same.
We can frame our experiences however we want to, but I know from my experience in working with clients using hypnotherapy that the way in which we frame events can have a dramatic effect, positive or negative, on our expectations for the future. We can often get too caught up in the "story" we tell ourselves and can’t see beyond it, and what’s more we can get so caught up in our story that we continue to look for evidence to justify the story continuing.
Pay attention to what you are saying to yourself; it will shape your reality positively or negatively. If you do have a negative story, ask yourself how do I know this is true? What would someone else say to describe my situation, someone whose opinion I respect?
If you are looking for a new story to tell yourself, try this for size.
‘When your life/relationship/job and so on are at their best, what’s that like?’ Write down the detail and try to find a more positive story to live your life in. If you want to, that is.
As the late great Ormond McGill said: if you have a choice, ‘Make life your playground, not your battlefield’
Best wishes for 2010!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/21/change-your-life-terrible-analogies
As you look back over 2009 or even further back, how do you describe it to yourself?
Was it a year of obstacles and hurdles which you overcame? Did you achieve great things and enjoy the adventure? Was it the best year so far . . . or was it the worst?
How we describe things to ourselves is often through the use of these different story metaphors at an unconscious level. The quality of these metaphors, positive or negative, can have a dramatic effect on how we feel now, how we experience life in hindsight, and also in relation to what lies ahead.
Take this example. If life has been difficult for you, what’s the difference between saying:
‘ My life has been one long nightmare and I can ‘t wait for it to end’ or
‘I’ve had some really tough challenges in my life, but I’m still here today and what an achievement that is!’
One has a positive spin and one has a negative spin, but the life has still been the same.
We can frame our experiences however we want to, but I know from my experience in working with clients using hypnotherapy that the way in which we frame events can have a dramatic effect, positive or negative, on our expectations for the future. We can often get too caught up in the "story" we tell ourselves and can’t see beyond it, and what’s more we can get so caught up in our story that we continue to look for evidence to justify the story continuing.
Pay attention to what you are saying to yourself; it will shape your reality positively or negatively. If you do have a negative story, ask yourself how do I know this is true? What would someone else say to describe my situation, someone whose opinion I respect?
If you are looking for a new story to tell yourself, try this for size.
‘When your life/relationship/job and so on are at their best, what’s that like?’ Write down the detail and try to find a more positive story to live your life in. If you want to, that is.
As the late great Ormond McGill said: if you have a choice, ‘Make life your playground, not your battlefield’
Best wishes for 2010!