Reclaiming Resilience: Owning Your Stories Through Reflection
Today, we're turning the pages of the stories we tell ourselves.
Are they shackles or wings?
How can we own our stories through reflection?
Accept Your Story:
Recognize the power of personal narratives. How you talk to yourself and about yourself and your life matters immensely. – negative?
It’s crucial to maintain a realistic view of life and know that it’s not necessarily going to be easy or without difficulty, but it’s also important to know that your thoughts shape your reaction to what’s within your control and beyond it.
Understand how our stories shape our perceptions. Being aware of our perception– how we've experienced events and how we narrate them in our lives – this is essential. It's the lens through which we view our world.
So, how do we rewrite any limiting beliefs into empowering ones? Here are two practical strategies:
First, we need a framework to overcome these limiting beliefs. It's like constructing a mental map to navigate through the negative and reach the positive.
Framework to Overcome Limiting Beliefs:
Identify and Acknowledge:
Start by recognizing your limiting beliefs. These are often rooted in past experiences or learned behaviors. Acknowledge them without judgment.
Challenge and Analyze:
Question these beliefs. Are they based on facts or assumptions? Analyze their origin and how they've impacted your life decisions.
Reframe and Replace:
Reframe each limiting belief with a positive, empowering belief. For example, change "I can't do this" to "I can learn to do this with practice and time."
Visualize and Affirm:
Use visualization to see yourself acting under your new belief system. Regularly affirm these new beliefs through positive self-talk or affirmations.
Act and Validate:
Take small, actionable steps that align with your new beliefs. Celebrate small victories and use them as proof of your new empowering mindset.
Second, you need to take practical steps towards cultivating a grateful mindset to overcome any limiting beliefs. Gratitude isn't just feeling thankful; it's a practice that reshapes our narrative.
Practical Steps Towards Cultivating a Grateful Mindset:
Daily Gratitude Journaling:
Dedicate a few minutes each day to write down things you're grateful for. These can range from significant events to simple pleasures.
Gratitude Reflection:
Spend time each week reflecting on the bigger picture of your life. Acknowledge the challenges, but focus on the growth and opportunities they've provided.
Express Gratitude to Others:
Regularly express gratitude to people in your life. It can be as simple as a thank you message or acknowledging someone's impact on your life.
Mindfulness and Appreciation:
Practice mindfulness to stay present. Appreciate the moment and find aspects to be grateful for, even in everyday situations.
Gratitude Reminders:
Set up regular reminders to pause and think of something you're grateful for. This can be through alarms, notes, or cues in your environment.
Finding Resilience in Adversity:
We often hear to identify lessons in challenging experiences. This is a key to being resilience, BUT we all need time to get to the part where we look back and see the lessons. I think it’s important to state that you first have to reflect and process your thoughts and feelings before you can learn the lessons.
Sometimes we need to wallow a bit before moving on. If you’ve been betrayed, lost your job, or feel abandoned, you need some time to process but don’t stay stuck in it. Journaling helps!
Remember that your story is your strength. It's time to pick up the pen and author your future.
For your journaling this week, consider these prompts:
Write about a belief you've held about yourself that you want to change.
List three things you're grateful for in your life journey and why, no matter how small.
Please comment below to let me know what you wrote about or learned from this. I would love to hear from you!
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