Story Lines
excerpted
from
Pathways to the Soul: 101 Ways to Open Your Heart
Story lines feed on fear, anxiety, judgment, criticism, depression, arrogance, self-belittlement, resentment, and complaint. When we tell ourselves these stories long enough, they often become true-self-fulfilling prophecies. Following are some examples of story lines
"Today is going to be awful. I can feel it."
"Nothing good ever happens to me."
"I can't do anything right."
"I can't help it. I have no control."
"I'm terribly shy. Nobody likes me."
I'll get hurt if I get too attached in a relationship.
Everything will be fine once I lose 20 pounds, exercise 45 minutes every day, and meditate regularly."
What are your story lines? Write them down in order to increase your awareness of them. Which ones are strongest? What effect do they have on you? Try to identify the beliefs, feelings, and emotions they feed upon. Where did these come from? Becoming aware of them, dissecting them, and tracing their lineage decreases their solidity and power. When we see the stories we tell ourselves, we're able to cut the by coming back to now, or change them into positive thoughts and affirmations-all useful tools for expanding our awareness of the light within.
To begin working with story lines, learn to call up a positive image when you find yourself getting completely carried away in tape-loops of thought. A friend of ours conjures up an image of her garden or her favorite vacation spot when she finds herself in the stranglehold of a story line. Another way is to counter them with affirmations, which we will discuss later (see exercise #33 "Talking to Yourself"). With affirmations, we substitute positive story line for the negative one which erodes its power.
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