Sunday, July 7, 2013

Look in the Mirror. What Story Are You Telling Yourself Today?

“You are one thing only. You are a divine being. An all-powerful creator. You are a deity in jeans and a t-shirt, and within you dwells the infinite wisdom of the ages and the sacred creative force of all that is, will be and ever was.” ― Anthon St. Maarten




I was listening to a podcast last night while lying in bed in the dark and feeling a cool summer night's breeze graze past my skin.

The woman I was listening to was talking about tools we can use every day to access our inner knowing, our inner teacher, wisdom so to speak.

She mentioned four things: receiving, reflection, mirroring and changing our stories.

In brief, receiving was about the dialogue and way we treat ourselves on a daily basis. I know I've talked about this in past blog posts, but basically, it's the idea that if we talked to others or others talked to us the way we tend to talk to or treat ourselves, we would likely be friendless and alone.

It's about learning to receive from others and the world around us, starting with something as simple as saying, "Thank you," after someone pays you a compliment versus deflecting it or denouncing it. I have trouble with just doing this sometimes. I deny myself receiving, yet the world, the universe is constantly trying to give me things, to continue that natural cycle of giving and receiving.

Reflection and mirroring are also things I've touched on. Reflection is tough, because it's about us having to take a deeper look into ourselves when we notice something in those around us we don't like. It's the idea the "law of attraction" is at play in our lives every single day, therefore, surrounding us with the people, energies and experiences that reflect what we, ourselves are giving off. Even if it's something we only give off to one person (perhaps someone we have deep seated issues with, etc.), it's still an energy we're manifesting and it'll show back up in our lives in something or someone else, reflected right back at us.

It something to think about, especially when someone gets under your skin or something upsets you. It's not about judging ourselves or our experiences, it's about bringing gentle awareness to something. Once you become aware, it begins to change.

Mirroring is also seeing the GOOD things that we give off in those around us. If you are with someone or experience something that makes you feel good inside, someone you admire or enjoy the company of, you can also acknowledge that atmosphere or person is mirroring a part of yourself, something your're giving off that is attracting them into your life. It's also something we need to do more of :-)

Lastly, the stories we tell ourselves. This one really hit for me. She talked about how we are, all of us, walking books of stories our minds weave around every experience we have. Stories of the past, of the future, stories of scars, of laughs, of tears, of love, heartbreak, stress, burdens. Stories of elation and hope, fear and pain. As we continue to tell them, we will continue to attract those same "kinds" of stories into our lives. But if we can go back to the time and place, situation, reaction, etc. when we first began to weave a particular story, we can change the wording around it and therefore change what we attract in our lives now.

In simpler terms, just as in counseling it sometimes takes going back into the past to get to the root of a present impeding behavior or reaction, sometimes it takes examining the dialogue in our minds and where it began in order to change what it says now.

For me, I've always had a dialogue that I don't deserve good things. That I'm somehow scarred for life, that everything I touch I burn. I've had this dialogue for years and years, this isn't something that manifested recently. I have gone back and found times when it started, especially pertaining to men and relationships. But I haven't quite identified the very start of it yet. All I do know is, it has continued being enforced in my recent years by the people and experiences I've had.

Because that story attracted experiences that emphasized it rather than squelched it. And it's up to me to change that pattern. If I continue weaving stories in my mind that I only deserve the bare minimum in life ... sure enough, that's all I'll get. Those are the people I'll attract, the ones who give me their minimum.

When the truth is, I cannot wait to give my maximum. I cannot wait to break that gate open again. And that's what I would want in return.

Perhaps you can think of similar stories you've been telling yourself for years. All you need to do is identify the parts of your life that feel "off" to you, not necessarily good or bad (those are mind labels), but just "off" ... not natural to you, maybe draining energies in your life, etc., and then go from there. Follow the breadcrumb trail and you'll eventually remember when you started the dialogue in your mind that led to those energies, people or situations in your life.

And then ... take ink to paper.

And change them.

~C~


1 comment:

  1. As someone who knows you, I can definitely say that the dialogue that you don't deserve good things is not accurate. You not only deserve good things, you deserve GREAT things. That being said, I know that internal dialogues are not that simple to break free from. But it's good that you have the self-awareness to recognize the dialogue. That's a heck of a start :-)

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