Change your narrative. Rewrite your story.
“No one is perfect, that’s why pencils have erasers.”
Wolfgang Reibe
In the hustle and bustle of life, we often find ourselves caught up in the narratives we’ve inherited or the stories we’ve fallen into. But only a few will stop, hit the pause button, grab a pen, and rewrite their life story. Fear of the unknown often paralyses us, but as Gandhi famously said we must be the change we want to see and unless we’re brave enough to travel to an unfamiliar place, we’ll never be able to reframe our minds and change the course of our lives.
I don’t know if it was my 40’s that changed me or the frustration at not being able to escape the vicious cycle that life sometimes felt like. But either way I’m grateful I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and came to understand the transformative magic that occurs when we dare to reframe our minds and rewrite our narrative.
You could be fooled into thinking it’s all about spinning tales, it’s not. It’s about reclaiming your very being, rediscovering resilience, and redefining your journey. It’s the thing that has helped me grow and become who I am today – a woman who knows her worth and isn’t afraid of failure. I know no matter how many times I fall, I will get back up, brush myself down and try again and again, until I succeed in whatever it is that I want to achieve. All it takes is honest introspection.
Introspection is scary I hear you saying, it can be. But instead of fearing the unknown, try changing your narrative and tell yourself how liberating it will be. It’s a beautiful, bold declaration of autonomy over our thoughts and emotions. It’s how we win our fight against our own inner demons. I don’t know about you, but I hate those pesky little things that roam so freely around your mind; conspiring against you; dictating who you are and telling you what you should become. So I dare to challenge them and their preconceived notions, reclaim the reins and change my destiny.
Life is a thing of beauty but it doesn’t always feel that way. It constantly challenges us, testing our mettle, throwing obstacles and road blocks in our way. We’ll encounter many setbacks, failures, and disappointments that will threaten to shatter our spirits. But only you get to decide who you are and how you react to them. Are you going to be the person who makes one excuse after the other or are you going to be the person that starts seeing the obstacles not as roadblocks, but as stepping stones to greatness? All it takes is a small reframe to transform adversity into opportunity and setbacks into springboards for growth. Be brave.
Changing our narrative is such a simple statement, and one I use often. It’s an act of self-empowerment, a declaration of our worth and potential. Too often, we find ourselves trapped in a cycle of self doubt and negativity, haunted by the ghosts of past mistakes, and missed opportunities. But what if we were to rewrite the script, casting ourselves as the heroes of our own stories? By embracing a narrative of self-love and empowerment, we unlock the door to endless possibilities.
Perhaps most importantly, reframing our minds allows us to achieve our goals and aspirations. Our fear often holds us back from pursuing our dreams, because we convince ourselves that we’re not good enough and success is beyond our reach. But what if we were to flick the switch and adopt a mindset of possibility? What would that look like? Embarking on a journey of self-discovery doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think.
IT BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP
A willingness to challenge the status quo and embrace the unknown. Start by looking at the stories you tell yourself about who you are and what you’re capable of achieving. Are these narratives serving you, or are they holding you back? Identify the beliefs and thought patterns that no longer serve you and begin to rewrite them with intention and purpose. Turn I don’t have time to get fit, into I will commit to getting 8,000 steps in Monday to Friday.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE
Focus on the blessings and opportunities that surround you each day. Cultivate a growth mindset and embrace failure as a natural part of the learning process. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve failed but they ultimately brought me here – to a place of contentment and success. Surround yourself with positivity, seek out individuals who uplift and inspire you. Above all, be kind to yourself, recognise and understand that change takes time and patience. So, you committed to doing something five days a week but you only managed four. Instead of beating yourself up about it, tell yourself you managed four more days than you did last week. You’re winning.
BE HONEST
Both with yourself and others. Often, we make up excuses as to why we can’t do something, but that is all they are, excuses. And the only person excuses harm is you. Instead start turning those excuses into actions. Stop saying I don’t have time to do this & start working out how you’re going to make the time, there are 24 hours in a day, use them wisely. Be stronger than your excuses, the dog ate my homework is so tired and boring.
STAY POSITIVE
A positive mindset and empowering narrative is all the fuel you need to get motivated and drive you to achieve your goals. Instead of seeing obstacles as barriers, view them as challenges to overcome on your path to success. Tell yourself I can, and I will do this. The only person that can stop you is you. A while back I started reading about visualisation and manifestation, do I believe the hype, not fully, no. But I do believe with a positive mindset you really can do anything you set your mind to. Nothing is impossible.
EMPOWER YOURSELF
No one can force you do something you don’t want to do, only you get to decide how much you want something, so be honest with yourself. How many times have you committed to getting fitter or losing weight? And how often have you failed because you made one excuse after another? It is not someone else’s job to kick you in shape, it’s yours. Or how many times have you stayed in an unfulfilling relationship because you didn’t value yourself enough to leave? It’s really very simple, If you don’t like where you are, move, you are not a tree.
At the end of the day, the journey of self-discovery is not a final destination but a continuous evolution; a never-ending quest to uncover the depths of our own potential. By reframing our minds and changing our narrative, we embark on a journey of empowerment, resilience, and self-discovery – a journey that holds the key to unlocking happiness, fulfilment and our truest, most authentic selves.
Dare to dream, dare to believe in your own potential, and dare to rewrite the story of your life. Every chapter has a new beginning and yes change is hard at first; it will feel messy in the middle, but the end will be beautiful. The power to change your reality lies within you.
