I recently came across this lovely quote by Mark Nepo:
To be broken is no reason to see all things as broken.
It got me thinking about how often we see others through our own experiences, expectations, and self-stories. I know I certainly have.
Try this – replace the word “broken” (unless you feel that way) with any words you use to describe yourself and then reflect upon how this influences your interactions with others.
Write it down.
The goal is to become aware of your thought patterns and the impact they have on your personal wellbeing and relationships. If you’re anything like me, it can be quite considerable.
One of the things I remind leaders of is that the words we use become the stories we believe.
Be compassionate to yourself and remember we don’t have to believe everything we think.
The good news is because we write our stories we can edit them too and choose how they play out in our lives.
Whatever self-stories you create, they should be in service of your deeper values, advancing who you want to be as a person.
Curiosity first. Evaluation and judgment a far, distant, second.
It’s a happy, healthy, and productive way to live and work.
