The past year, I have made the regrettable misstep of making other people the protagonist of my story. Now, I’m not going to share with you the details of this person or those people and how they stole my spotlight, because making this about them would be a continuation of that mischaracterization.
This is about me. And how I reclaimed my position as the main character in my story.
We all write our own stories. Much like I am writing this article, we are the narrators and creators of our tales whether we like it or not. Daunting as this may seem, we have an incredible amount of power here. The words we choose, the thoughts we imagine and the actions we take are all creating our reality. Our choices are cultivating energy and that energy is manifesting into experiences. If we focus on negative thoughts, words and actions, we are going to create a very dim story.
I like to think of my “story” as a continuous hero’s journey. Overcoming obstacles and opposition, each conflict shaping my character.
But my story gets fragmented and the plot unidentifiable when I focus too much on others. I like to draw upon the film concept of the “leading lady.” And in my life — that’s my role.
Recently I have tried to be conscious of how I am creating my story. Asking, “is this a movie I would want to watch?”
Am I feeling sorry for myself, harboring jealousy, anger and anxiety? Or am I embarking on my hero’s journey with gumption and triumph.
Now I understand this is easier said than done. But I had to start somewhere, so I chose to flood my senses with information on how to refocus my story.
I employed self-help books, Ted Talks, Youtube videos — you name it. Taking in endless content is great, but it’s even better when you begin to APPLY it. That is when it really sticks.
I strived towards making selfish decisions. Not necessarily in the sense that I disregard the feelings of others, but more so that I regard my own.
I like to keep a picture in my head of what I want my life to look like. Friends, partner, dream job … the things that I hold important or aspire to do. And anything that does not align with that, I don’t allow into my “movie.”
Aligning my decisions with my visions and desires are conscious steps I take towards cultivating them. You cannot attract what you don’t possess. If I allow my attention to drift and dwell on that which I do not wish to attract into my life, I am being counter productive.
I understand it can be difficult to not dwell on things that may bother you, but rewrite the story around these things. Occurrences or people that would bring me anxiety or distress, I acknowledge for what they are. Focusing on these things does not help me manifest my goals, but rather hinders them.
With each step I take towards writing my story, I gain momentum. My intuition grows louder and more confident the more I listen to it. The little voice in my head telling me what to do falls into her role as Leading Lady the more I allow her to do so.
I truly believe at any point in our lives, we are able to change the script. If you don’t like the story you are living, rewrite it.
Be the author of your story. And be fiercely focused on making it one worth reading. And whatever you do, don’t give up your leading role.
