Be curious about the stories around your stories

As humans we love stories. Stories give meaning to our lives and our world.

Many times we hold on to stories because they protect us, hold on identities that we don’t want to let go of, or try to make sense of what’s going on around us. These stories are usually centered around limiting beliefs/deeper stories we have about ourselves and what our inner critics love to remind us of. Being curious about our own stories and what they mean to us can be an interesting way of getting to know ourselves better and to shift and grow. Can you have gentle curiosity of those beliefs or stories? Is there room for other ideas or beliefs? What are they and how does that change your story? What happens when you have compassion and curiosity for the parts of you who are protecting you?

I have a recurring story about staying small and the belief that playing big and putting myself out there is dangerous. This story loves to come up right before I’m about to embark on something new and creative. When I hear that story, I give myself compassion for the parts who are trying to protect me. I start to have curiosity about the story around the belief and ask myself what it really means. When I hold curiosity and compassion for the beliefs, protections and stories behind the original belief, I start to notice a shift in my body. It’s a small shift, and it’s enough to help me move a little bit forward.

Reach out if would would like help with reframing limiting beliefs and stories. Shifting them is possible. It takes practice and time and you can do it!