Your stories, memories, and experiences have shaped your personality but they are still only stories. They may have been real once, but are definitely not real now. They exist only inside your head, as fleeting thoughts, beliefs, pictures, and ideas of “self”.
Treat people kindly, for your own sake as well as theirs. In the end, you will be the one who suffers, as you will have to live with yourself knowing what you’ve done. Respond with compassion and help others to do the same.
Although we all have differences, ultimately we are all the same, and we all feel lost at times. We all have the same feelings, and we all need to give love and to be loved.
What are the stories you tell yourself about your life? About your happiness, what you can allow yourself, the kind of work you can do, how much money you can make, the opportunities available to you?
The stories of a person, a family, a culture, a country – they hold us, bind us in ways which are potentially fruitful or harmful, and can give us an identity. They can influence and also undermine us.
Every day, we make up our own stories. Our teacher asks to speak with us or a friend doesn’t return our call, and instantly we fill in the blanks. These stories aren’t just inaccurate; they’re destructive. They isolate us and damage our relationships, and are a major contributor to our anxiety.
For most of us, anxiety is derived from outside forces such as work, school, finances, and relationships, as well as our own negative self-talk. When our imagination gets the best of us and uncertainty grabs the steering wheel in our minds, we have a way of making ourselves anxious.
We often create fears based on past experiences and blow them out of proportion. They’re not always grounded in reality. Even when they are justifiable, they’re not the things that create us – we create ourselves with what we tell ourselves and how we act.
Sometimes people will make snap judgments when you’re openly struggling, but we don’t have to join in and judge ourselves. Everyone has their challenges. No-one is without struggles. Try being understanding and compassionate with yourself.
The Universe does not owe you anything. Be grateful for any blessings that you have. Do not let anything slip away. No matter what happens, try to enjoy the life you have. No-one else can enjoy it for you.