Day 34: The story you tell yourself about yourself. | The Walk Out

You have a story you tell about yourself. You tell it without thinking. You tell it to other people. You tell it to yourself. You believe it.

Most of it isn’t true.

TODAY’S TRUTH The story you tell about yourself is not the same as who you are.

THE READ “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” — Psalm 139:13–14

David wrote that — the David who killed somebody and slept with the wife. The David who knew what he had done. He wrote that anyway.

In your own words — what's this saying to you?

THE REAL Listen to your own self-talk for a day. You’ll hear a story.

It might be the I’m always behind story. Or the nobody really knows the real me story. Or the I’m fine, everything’s fine story. Or the if people knew what I’d done they’d leave story. Or the I’m not as smart/attractive/important as everyone else story. Or the I’ll start being the person I want to be next Monday story.

These stories shape what you do. They shape what you believe is possible. They shape what you ask for. They shape what you accept from other people.

And they’re usually not actually true. They were true at one point — usually when you were younger and somebody helped install the story — but they don’t fit anymore. Or they were never true. They were just convenient or comforting.

Today, the work is to start noticing the story. Just notice. Don’t try to fix it yet. Don’t argue with it yet. Just hear it.

PULL UP What’s the most common story you tell yourself about yourself? In one sentence.

Write it out — don't just think it.

THE MOVE Today, every time you hear the story start, just say in your head: “I hear that story.” Don’t argue. Don’t agree. Just notice.

Did it today?  ☐ Yes   ☐ Not yet — what happened when you did?

TRACK IT How many times did you hear it?