Wellness is really about living the best life possible. And I think it helps to look at your life like a story. While most people just let their stories unfold, some work to create the most epic tale possible. It’s time to remember that you are the author of your story. When you wake up each morning, there is essentially a blank page sitting in front of you, allowing you to write whatever you want.
Your life, like any good story, could be broken down into chapters. Some have been long, some have been short. Some have been exciting, others uninteresting. And some have been happy, while others have been sad. Without this variety, your story would not be worth telling.
There are some things to think about in regards to your story. The first has to do with authenticity. Your story is, and should be, different from all other stories. Too often, people follow a path that someone else has laid out for them or a path that society says they should follow. This is the fastest way to a life of frustration, boredom, and misery.
It is so easy to let others write your story for you. Maybe you’ve ended up where you are right now because you let family, friends, or tradition dictate the job you pursued, the college you went to, the person you married, the place you live, or even the way you act. So first, note that your story will be different from everyone else’s, no two stories are exactly alike, and that you have more control over your story than you realize.
A big mistake people make is to focus on quantity over quality. The length of your life is so much less significant than the quality of it. What’s the point of living to be 100 years old if you are incapacitated the last twenty or thirty years of that life. A long, boring story does not compare to a shorter, action-packed, experience-filled one.
How about trust? We tend to question why things happen the way that they do. It helps to trust that they happen for a reason and that there are bigger things at work. I believe there is a path laid out for us and that each event in our life has a purpose. This belief will keep you from becoming paralyzed and frustrated, and will keep you focused on moving forward.
Many of us get stuck dwelling on past mistakes. Remember, you are where you are right now and who you are right now because of every event and action in your past. This includes the poor choices you’ve made and the times you regret. Embrace your past as an integral part of your story.
Your story needs love. In a conversation with pastor Joe Coffey, he shared how, as humans, the price we pay for love is pain. The greater the love we have for something, the greater the pain if we lose it. This can be a car, a pet, another human being, or anything. In an effort to avoid that pain, or in response to times that we’ve been hurt, many choose not to open up and fully love. Your story will be safer, but much more boring and empty.
You likely once had a vision of what you wanted your life to look like–a dream life. What happened to that vision? Think about the best stories. The highs come with lows, the happiness comes with sadness, the successes come with failures, and the greatest rewards come with the greatest risk. This is your story! Has it been hijacked? It’s time to realize that every day there is a blank page in front of you, and you are the author. What are you going to write? What’s your story going to be? You can make it miserable, boring, and full of grief, or you can make it exciting, significant, and full of gratitude. Make your story one that is worth reading. A tale worth telling.
