Why Study This Mantra...

To learn who you REALLY want to be, what is important to you, and where you want to be headed. This is the first step in a process to take control over your life that will eventually bring you deep contentment and satisfaction! It’s starting to get good!
 

Introduction 

A great life starts with a great story.

Even if you don't think of your story as great just yet, good news: no matter where you are in your life – in your story – the beginning of the rest of your story starts NOW.

Don't write your story for others. Don't worry about comparing yourself to anything other than what you want your story to be. Write YOUR story. Walk your own path. 

Before you begin...

Before you start thes practices and challenges, take a moment to rate yourself on this mantra. Give yourself a score from 1-10 (10 being the highest). 

Do this again at the end of a month of practices and challenges. How much have you grown?

The Practices

Daily Practice

Story Affirmation

Today's affirmation: "I own my story."

My mantra will be my reminder. Each time I put it on, and each time I look at, I will ask myself whether or not I'm living my story.

• Am I living toward the future story I wrote?
• What did I do that was on course?
• What could I stop doing? 

Monthly Challenge

Write Your Story

At the beginning of the month, pre-write your life story as you hope it will play out. This should be your ideal, best-case scenario. You should leverage what you learned from your Life Calibration Assessment for some inkling as to what the plot of this story should be. If needed, rewrite the present (WHY you are where you are in this moment) in a way that's in line with your story. That's okay.

Now for the hard part: Assess your present life. What needs to change course to direct you toward that future? Take the month to re-calibrate. Your goal is to end the month pointed toward the new future in your new story. Headed toward that passion.

Is that too soon? Waiting for something? Sometimes that thing you're waiting on is justified; sometimes it isn't. Be honest with yourself. If it's justified, set goals. Set a path for yourself for how and when you can get there. And when it's time, seize the day.

Story Journal

As I remove my mantra tonight, I will take 1-2 minutes to write the following things into a journal:

• Am I living toward the future story I wrote?
• What did I do that was on course?
• What could I stop doing?
• What news do I have?
• What are my goals and wishes for tomorrow?

Some Guidance...

In her 2019 Ted Talk, Lori Gottlieb suggests you may ask yourself the following questions when writing your story:

1. What material is extraneous?
2. Is the protagonist moving forward or going in circles?
3. Are the supporting characters important or are they a distraction?
4. Do the plot points reveal a theme?

 

She suggests that two key themes emerge in most people's story: Freedom and change.

We tend to feel like we have an enormous amount of freedom... EXCEPT for in this one area of focus. This one plot point. And we dwell on that aspect of our story.

So how do you achieve that freedom? Through CHANGE. And NOT change in someone else. Change in yourself.

So stare at the blank page. Venture in the unknown. And be willing to accept change in YOURSELF that might unstick you from your imprisoned narrative. Be willing to UN-know yourself, so you let go of that version of the story, so you can live your life, not the story you've been telling yourself about your life.

As you write your story, try also asking yourself these questions:

1. What's something you're currently telling yourself (that's holding you back)?
2. What's the compassionate truth bomb that you should be telling yourself (that might un-stick you)?
3. What if you wrote your story from another person's point of view? What would you see NOW from that wider perspective?

The Reasoning

For a definitive look at this month's mantras and practices, including what philosophers, theologians, psychologists, and scientists throughout history have thought, taught, and advocated, click below.