Oh, the things we tell ourselves. Sounds a bit like Dr. Seuss; sadly it's not. You have to wait until the end of the post for some of his wisdom! We're talking about how our personal narratives become aspects of things we believe about who we are. Here's one that's been in my arsenal forever:
"I'm horrible at math."
Big deal you say. Maybe you're not good at math. You have other things you're good at. What's the problem?
Telling myself this has made an agreement that has limited my openness to, in this case, math. While math is not a particular strength, the statement is not true. The power comes in reframing into something like:
"I'm good at everyday math, not so good at algebra."
Instead of using my old agreement as self-deprecating humor, it's refreshing to be more honest.
Jon Acuff addresses the importance of these in his book "Soundtracks". It's all about changing your personal narratives. Check it out, you'll be glad you did!
Here's another example of a broken script we should flip immediately.
What's the matter with me?
In our lives, we receive lots of feedback. And while it's a good thing to have a growth mindset focused on continuous development, what we often remember is all the bad stuff. All the aspects of ourselves we need to improve to feel like we matter. To feel like what we bring to any enterprise is enough. Instead of focusing on what you believe is wrong with you, flip it to this...
What matters to me?
Getting clarity on what's important to you changes your whole frame of mind. Gets you back into a more positive space. It reconnects to your core values and goals you have for the person you want to become.
If your script is holding you back, flip it. Your future self needs you and is depending on you to be the best version of yourself possible!
Say what you feel, and do what you say. Because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. -Dr. Seuss
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