More To The Story

      

 "... humans are not made of skin and bone

as much as we are made of stories."

Sue Monk Kidd

The stories we tell ourselves shape our self-image and impact our behavior no matter if the words are fact or fiction.  The anorexic criticizes how fat they are from a singular viewpoint, just as the workaholic believes there will never be enough nor will there ever be a good stopping place which is tunnel vision.

If we do not have a strong sense of who we are the opinions of others alter the telling of our story.   There is the absence of integrity if we do not embrace both our strengths and weaknesses with love. 

As we share our stories, we can easily edit facts by asking if a memory is true. As we recall the situation in detail, we can ask what other elements the story offers.  For example, if the story reflects a poor decision, we can examine what was learned or lost rather than simply judging the event.  There is always more to the story ...