~ [[Narrative]], [[Sense Making]] x [[Narrative Bias]]

The way we tell the story shapes how it unfolds

“If we want to change our lives, it starts with changing the story we tell ourselves about it.”

The stories we tell ourselves are reflections of our inner lives. We are mugs filled to the brim, and if we want to change what’s spilling out of us, we must work to change what is within us.

As life unfolds, we weave a narrative through our experiences to help us make sense of things, but how we tell the story determines the meaning we place on it.

• “I always mess up in social situations—maybe I’m just not good with people.”
• “They didn’t text back right away; I must have said something wrong.”
• “I handled that conflict better than usual—maybe I’m learning to be more patient.”
• “People laughed at my joke—maybe I am funny after all.”

From the meals we choose to the careers we pursue, the relationships we build to the decisions we make, **the way we frame our experiences shapes how we see the world**. ([[Your brain actively constructs reality through predictions and corrections +]]) ([[Your brain actively constructs reality through predictions and corrections +]])

Even though our stories are unique, they follow predictable narrative arcs that can provide insight into how the rest of the story might unfold. PN’s in [[Narrative]].

Only when we begin to understand that our stories are not static counterparts but living components of ourselves can we shed light on the narratives shaping our lives—and in doing so, we can begin to change the stories we tell ourselves.

Related/Extras

• Reference: [[How Changing Your Story Can Change Your Life (podcasts)]] and [[The Power of Story How the Stories We Tell Shape Our Lives (articles)]] (25.93)
• Keywords: #keyword/how-to-challenge-your-beliefs #keyword/how-to-introduce-change-into-your-life

Related notes:

• Add PNs from [[Narrative]]