Do you ever find yourself telling someone you’ve recently met the story of your life? You probably don’t think of it as a story, because to you it’s all factual. Truth is, we place a lot of interpretation on our life story. And when you remember how it was from the present day perspective, you often distort fact from interpretation. When you do tell your story, do you look at it and wonder if it’s the story you would have written for yourself? Do you ever wonder whose story you are living?
Ask yourself this question: “Am I living a life of my own design, following my passions and interests, or am I following my family, friends, or society, living someone else’s dreams?” If you now realize that you are not living your chosen life story, it is time to take a look at what you’d like to change. If you’ve been doing the same career or business, living the same lifestyle, keeping too busy to take time to observe your life and your feelings, it may be time to take a time out and see what’s really important to you.
You may have followed a path determined by others who influenced you early in life—teachers, parents, siblings, or peers. You may have done what was expected of you—getting a college degree, taking a job that fit your skills, climbing the corporate ladder, building a business, or staying at home to raise children. What might you have given up? A career that fully expressed who you are, creative pursuits, a story of your own making.
Writing a New Life Story
Why do so many people wake up one day and find they are not living their own story? Or they don’t wake up at all, but are feeling stuck and unfulfilled in their lives and don’t know exactly why. If any of this relates to how you are feeling, it’s not too late to write a new life story. You CAN create a life of joy, fulfillment, and passion by taking action in the direction of your dreams. It’s not too late to build a more rewarding life. You can start today.
What will it take for you to write a new life story? Imagine you are a writer and sit down with a pen and paper or in front of your computer. Start from where you are now and write about where you would like to go. Include relationships, health, finances, business, career, creative self expression, personal development, and whatever makes up the story of your ideal life. When you’ve written about the next one year or as far as you want to go, share your new story with someone you feel safe with. If you’re working with a coach, they can help you develop your new story.
The next step is to start living it. You will start finding people and opportunities being drawn to you, so you can live your ideal life story.
