What's a story?
A story can be thought of as a narrative applied to our life. We all have conscious and subconscious narratives, or stories, flowing through our life every day. This narrative is made up of a belief framework that creates the context for our life. Our stories are like filters through which information flows. And that information is translated through that particular filter – coloring it. In this way stories can also act like programs, or operating instructions, that run at a mostly subconscious level.
There are several levels of stories or programs that become the backdrop for our life experiences. Stories can be personal, referencing personal beliefs and attitudes, or they can be collective stories, which are group beliefs that we have inherited or been taught. Group beliefs may include those we inherit from our family of origin, cultural beliefs, beliefs embedded in an education system, or the philosophy of the spiritual or religious organizations we may be a part of.
Stories are connected to our background, upbringing and life experiences. A teacher calls you lazy and unmotivated, and forever colors your feelings about school and your self. You grow up with a parent that believes in you and your abilities, and this becomes the foundation for your belief in your self, and a life long motivating factor. Traumatic experiences to joy filled memories color the story we tell to our self and others. Memories and experiences become the chapters in our story. They can provide a sense of growth, personal worth and power, or they can undermine our view of our self by feeding fears and limiting beliefs, which compromises our personal power and effectiveness in the world.
Our stories reflect our beliefs, how we think and feel, about all sorts of things. However, our stories can be based on assumptions that may or may not be true or accurate. Assumptions act like filters that limit the information flow due to the assumptions or pre-conceived ideas. Based on limited or inaccurate information we once thought that the world was flat and that the earth was the center of the universe. We had to amend that story after mathematician and astronomer, Copernicus, introduced a model of the universe that placed the sun, rather than the earth, at the center of the universe. This challenged the existing views, demanding a shift in perspective, and spurring new growth in scientific discovery.
Because stories influence our point of reference, our beliefs, they reflect how we see our self and how we see the world. When we identify the stories, programs and beliefs that we carry inside of us we become aware of the influence they have on our choices, our behaviors, and our life. Meeting our stories at a conscious level allows us to decide if they are still pertinent and whether we choose to continue with that story or not. Challenging our existing views, or stories, can create a change in perspective and spur new growth in our own life.
Current thought provoking scientific research demonstrates that our beliefs and emotions, which are embedded in our stories, are a direct communication link between our mind and our body. This open channel of communication directly affects our health and well being in all areas of life. Identifying stories that may need to be updated or released provides the opportunity to remember, reassess and realign our self to what we choose to create now and who we choose to be now.
In his book “The Biology of Belief”, cell biologist Bruce Lipton discusses the science of epigenetics, which is changing our underlying assumptions about life. Previous assumptions – that genes are fixed and that we are at the mercy of our genes and what we have inherited – have proven to be a limited and inaccurate understanding. Current research shows that how a gene will express is directly related to environment. Environmental influences, such as nutrition, stress and emotions can modify our genes.
"Our perception of a material-only biology and environment is no longer scientifically accurate. Another assumption is that genes control life. It is actually our perceptions that control life and by changing our perceptions we can get control over our lives."
– Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
Fascinating research of internationally recognized neuroscientist and pharmacologist, Candace Pert, Ph.D., shows the influence of emotions, at a molecular level, affecting every system of the body. Evidence points to an inherent body-mind communication system that has a direct physiological response in the body. Our emotions play a fundamental role in our health, and have the ability to promote or hinder our ability to recover from illness and maintain overall health. [1]
Further, investigations in neuroscience have shown that the brain has the ability to adapt and evolve and that incorporating new information triggers new synaptic connections in the brain, literally changing the structure of the brain. This neuroplasticity allows us to adapt and to change our thoughts, beliefs and behaviors as we integrate new information. Becoming familiar with stories that promote particular patterns and themes in our life provides the opportunity to review points of view that may be holding us back or keeping us down and open to new perspectives. Updating or deleting stories, programs and beliefs that are no longer serving us opens up the opportunity for learning new information and having new experiences.
New discoveries and information about our self can not only change our perception at a personal level, but also affect how we see others and how we experience the world around us. It gives us an opportunity to choose from a conscious perspective, instead of from a subconscious reservoir of information that may not be helpful or pertinent any longer. Changes within our self precede changes in our experience. Are the stories we carry within us holding us back and keeping us down, or are they supporting belief in our capability, our creativity and our health and happiness? A new story may be called for, providing the basis for a new perspective and a renewed sense of possibility and personal power! Is it time to change the screenplay of your life?
"Whatever defines you confines you."
– Alberto Villoldo
Want to learn more?
Workshops available for your group or organization exploring this theme.
Contact: deborahjones13@comcast.net
[1] “Molecules of Emotion – The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine”, Candace B. Pert, Ph.D.
​
Photo – © melis/Shutterstock.com, Old, magic, fairytale book