Is Your Story an Open Book or a Mystery?

Is your story an open book or a mystery?

We're all telling a story with our lives. Your story can be one of victory. The battle scars you carry are not a source of shame but a reminder of what you have overcome. Alternatively, your story can be one of defeat. The same battle scars that remind one of their victories can keep another in a prison of shame and condemnation.

Why Your Story Matters Today

Why does your story matter more today than ever? We are living in a time of unrest and high anxiety. Society can appear to be coming apart at the seams. In my business blog, I talk a lot about the BANI world. Sociologists use this term to describe the current climate: BANI stands for Brittle, Anxiety-Producing, Non-Linear, and Incomprehensible.

Your story can be a testament to the stability of God in a topsy-turvy world. It can also serve as a refrain to everything that can go wrong. I think of David's explanation to Saul about why he was the one to kill a giant. He had faced and killed intimidating enemies before, like the lion and the bear. An entire army was afraid of the giant, but David's story was one of having to face enemies alone.

Embracing Your Scars

While there may be parts of your story you would rather not have experienced, when viewed as part of the whole, the scars will give clues to the uniqueness of your life's calling. You don't engage in battle with a bear and a lion without coming away with scars.

Look at your scars. Yes, acknowledge the pain. But find a way to see the strength that came from the fight. David's motive in killing the lion and bear was to protect the sheep entrusted to him. His motive in telling Saul the story was to convince a skeptical king that he, David, wasn't afraid to confront a fearsome enemy.

The Importance of Your Motive

Think about your motive in framing and telling the story you tell yourself. Is that motive to change parts of your story that you don't like? Are you telling yourself the truth, or a version of the truth that someone has told you about yourself? The motive of the storyteller determines the integrity of the story.

In my book, Consider The Possibilities: Doing What Matters Most, I discuss something called the unreliable narrator. This is someone in a drama who either intentionally or unknowingly narrates untruths. Don't be the unreliable narrator in your story. Take the time to sit with what is motivating your version of the story you are telling about yourself. If you need help, find a coach, therapist, or a friend.

Discovering Your Patterns

Finally, look for the clues in your behavior. Saul tried to put his armor on David, but it didn't work well. That wasn't how David had fought in the past. He was effective at that time with the tools he was accustomed to: rocks and a sling.

While there are many things I know how to do, in times of pressure, I look for elements that will tell a better story. That's not a fluke; it's part of what I am created to do.

Understanding Your Unique Patterns

Why does understanding your patterns matter? Because your unique way of solving problems is part of your story. As you get comfortable with your story, what once looked like hindrances will start to appear as innovative ways to solve problems.

The best part of understanding your story is that you will discover the very tools you need to solve your dilemmas are already in your hands. Start investigating now to uncover your real story. The world is waiting.

You are loved,

Michele

PS: My latest 'problem-solving' story is a fiction work that points to a better reality. 2200: A Story For The Times is now available at Amazon, or wherever books are sold, or right here.