What is reality? What is your reality? Is there a difference? It seems like the answer should be simple, right? Reality is often defined as, “the world or the state of things as they actually exist…” When we define our reality, it would seem plausible that my reality would be the same as your reality etc., but it rarely seems to work that way. I think if we all could clearly see the reality of things, our thinking and experience of life would be very different. We would see through all of the deceptions and disguises. We would be able to separate truth from error, not only in our perception, but in our reality. But, for most folks, if not all folks, our apparent reality is heavily influenced by the things we think and the stories we tell ourselves. Some people’s stories are filled with negative circumstances and difficulties. Others are mired in how unfair life is and as such can see nothing but injustice. Some poor souls can’t catch a break and other blessed souls seem to garner all the breaks (whatever breaks are). The big question remains. Is your reality, reality? Are you seeing things for what they are or are you seeing your own mind’s version of the story? Your mind, indeed your reality, is heavily influenced by the stories you tell yourself. But, what if those myriad stories aren’t true at all. What if they are all part of a gigantic illusion designed to get you working against your own self? What are the stories we are telling ourselves?
The odd thing about us human cats is the propensity to read into situations and scenarios. We tend to draw conclusions fairly quickly. We think everything that runs across our minds is somehow true. Like we have an inside track or something. “Yeah, I know what you said, but I know better!” But, do you know better? How much of what you have been going through is actually based on the stories you keep telling yourself? And, once you acquire these stories, they are hard to shake. One thing the stories have in common is that they are always negative. They focus on negative aspects of people; malice and ill will. In this light, you have to bring your sword to your interactions lest these “bad motive” people take advantage of you. You bring your fight energy, then are amazed when the situations escalate. That’s the thing about stories, they soon come to light. You can spot stories as they are happening because you already know what the other person meant; what the other person is thinking; how the other person really feels. Somehow, as if by magic or some unique spiritual gift you have been given, you already know the score. But, do you though? The reality is that you and I do not know what other people are thinking. How could we? What we know is the worn out stories we persist in telling ourselves. Sure we can tell if people aren’t being honest with us or have an issue with us. Those folks are quite obvious. But, many times we are living out a reality made up by our minds. We are dwelling in and living amongst negative thought stories that do nothing but make our lives worse and not better. They queer our experience of life. People get cynical and apathetic, not becuase they faced certain challenges, but because they learned to think incorrectly. They let the negatives in and insist on keeping them in. All negativity is wrong and all negative thinking is wrong. All of it. You don’t overcome challenges with negativity. You overcome with the light. What stories are you telling yourself about other people?
The stories we tell ourselves about other people have nothing on the stories we tell ourselves! How many good hearted people with positive motives and a kind heart suffer because of the stories they keep telling themselves. Maybe you are one of those people. Do you tend to find fault with yourself quite easily? For all the good you might do in a day, do you only see the bad parts or the parts where you might have done better? Here is the reality. If the stories you are telling yourself most often are negative, then chances are they are not true. Instead you are being manipulated and talked out of the goodness of life. It’s neither natural nor the way life is. It’s another story. When you find yourself in perpetual opposition with yourself, you are telling yourself things that are not true. Or I should say, you have been talked into things that are not true. When did you start opposing yourself? When did all the good you do become hidden and replaced with all that is not just right about you? This is not God communicating with you no matter what the preacher said. It is the goodness of God that leads men and women to a change of heart. Those damnable stories are simply not true. They are lies designed to lessen your experience of life and steal life from you. Thus, the only plausible solution is to stop telling yourself the same stories. Tell yourself stories that are actually true with no negatives associated. And, if you are honest, the negative stories you have been telling yourself about yourself are not helping you become a better person. You won’t suddenly get it or make a dramatic change. Instead you will only sink lower and suffer more and more defeat. Are the stories you are telling yourself about yourself negative? If so, they are not true, no exceptions. God does not use negativity to get the job done nor does He need any help from evil.
Think about the stories you have been telling yourself about your relationships, your own life, or your own experience of life. Are they positive or negative? Do those stories bless your soul and encourage you or do they keep you bound, mired in negativity? No man ever yet hated his own flesh, so let that sink in a bit. You can change your stories. You can not be so quick to draw the wrong conclusions. You can decide to humble yourself and accept that you might not know something already. Do you know how much life is waiting for you on the other side of what you think you know? Stop persisting in the negative stories and stop perpetuating the myths. The actual reality of things; the truth, may be far different than what you have heretofore imagined. You can know if you want to know. We are all on a journey, living and growing or dying and regressing. If your journey, your experience of life, is not the best yet, then start with the elimination of the negative stories you are telling yourself. They are just stories and generally have no basis in reality. Stop telling yourself stories and tell the truth instead. Your life is worth that much.
Just some good thoughts…
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