Change Your Story
We all have a story, how we perceive our lives, our experiences. It is what you tell others about your life. It is how you see your life. It’s your angle or “take” on how things have played out for you.
What story do you tell? Is it a comedy, a drama, or a tragedy?
When I was a young adult I had no concept of my own power to direct my life. My life did not unfold as I had expected or as I hoped. Three babies in thirty-seven months and an unwanted divorce when the youngest was four wasn’t my plan.
I wore my story like a sad cloak for years. It wasn’t a comedy. I told it repeatedly. Every time I did it became more a part of who I was.
One day I decided to make a shift. I began a new story. I moved my three young children to Austin, Texas for two full summers while I earned a Master’s Degree from The University of Texas. My Story post.
What’s your current story, the one you tell people about your life? Sara Maude, an international Solution Focused Psychotherapist, asks “If it doesn’t make you feel good when you tell it, then stop telling it. Instead, tell a story that makes you feel inspired and positive. Maybe you haven’t found your calling yet and feel as if every day is ground hog day.” How to Create Joy Today
Returning to college was good for me. It may not be your thing. There are countless ways you can tell a new story. You may need to:
- Network to find your purpose
- Change jobs
- Get a job
- Research possibilities
- Go to a career counselor
- Go to a professional counselor
- See a Spiritual Director
Can you think of the story you want to be telling five years from now? If so, create a time line of steps to get you there. Spend some time with each step-study it, research it, and talk to people who are already there. If possible shadow someone who has the job you are considering.
Maude asks three questions:
- What have you always wanted to do in life but have been too afraid to attempt?
- What activities throughout your life have given you the greatest feeling of achievement?
- If you could do anything what would you do and what would bring you a step closer to that?
Next time you start to tell your story consider if you may want to revise it and see how that feels. It could bring joy into your life to change your story.
What can you do today to change the next chapter of your story, to change the way your story ends?
“Above all remember that no matter what is happening to any one of us, the only thing that really matters at the end of it all is that our lives were filled with joy.”
– Sara Maude
I raised three children as a single mother before I remarried. I have experienced the potholes, pests, and perils of being the single head-of-household. As an educator in regular and special education for twenty years I know a great deal about child development and how to handle kids. I am the founder of SMORE for Women, a nonprofit whose goal is Single Moms, Overjoyed, Rejuvenated, and Empowered. I’m also a Certified Professional Coach and my stories have been published in several Christian books and magazines. My book, Living Learning Loving is available on CreateSpace, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble online.
Gail Cawley Showalter 