Let’s face it. Every aspect of life since our birth is embedded inside us as our history.
This history contains every experience, judgment, opinion and thought. The depth of these life interactions has been recorded in our cellular structure. This structure acts much like a pool of water; a rock gets tossed in and waves of water rise while the rock falls to the depths of the pond. At the bottom of the pond are many rocks, the fiber of life, with layers of sediment containing every organism present in the pond.
Each experience, judgment, opinion and thought occupies space within the cell and therefore occupies space in our memory. You could consider this to be a chemical bank of all our life interactions. Our body is filled with sensory receptors that store and process information which the body remembers any time the receptors are stimulated.
Self-Stories
Consider the volumes of information that are stored and how we compile and access this information. I am amazed at all the information our body contains. All of these memories are added to the incredible operation of the body systems. We do not forget to breathe, to walk, talk, reason, or to process information. Is it any wonder that with this structure of such incredible depth, our memories impact our life in the present?
Consider how the stories that are embedded in our mind and body run our life. I am not referring to the stories outside of us. Those stories only reflect what is occurring inside of us. I am referring to the thoughts and stories we tell ourselves that monitor and limit the potential of everyday life; the self-stories.
These internal comments and preconceived ideas stifle the potential we can experience in life. The more boxes we have representing our life, the heavier the baggage we tote and the more cumbersome and non-productive our lives become.
At some point the litany of information has to influence our daily life. The stronger the unresolved thought is in our everyday life, the less likely we are to have freedom from the past. The more active the past is in our daily life, the more strongly we resist moving life forward into productive action.
Do you really believe you can make decisions with life’s flow if you are bogged down by the weight of the past?
Listen Deliberately
Begin listening deliberately to the stories and situations occurring around you and within you. Take quiet time to become aware of the origin and composition of the thought. Discover the opinion, judgment or fear involved in each story.
Ask yourself: “How do these thoughts limit what I need to do today? How relevant are these stories to my life today?” Remember, the formation of these thoughts is based on many things: past situations; the adoption of opinions of others; your particular circumstances; judgments or evaluations based on emotion; and/or actions taken in the past to protect ourselves.
I have discovered that memories resurface over time. When they do, there is usually a different aspect of life I need to review. This inner research allows new information to unfold, releasing the tension stored in my body.
Ah! The Absence of Judgment
I feel a sense of relief that comes when I have clarity. The tension is replaced by a feeling of relaxation as I release the thought pattern and balance is restored.
You will know a change in your thought process has occurred when a similar situation arises and there is an absence of judgment in your thoughts and a release of tension in your body. Practicing this form of self-research will become easier over time. You will find yourself adjusting to a new process of reflection. Answers will emerge more easily. As you establish the pattern of working this way, you will notice a desire to release the thoughts that bind you in favor of the sense of well-being and clarity.
Are you willing to stop listening to the stories you tell yourself? Will you take time to respond to the limits you have imposed on yourself? Do you want to hold on to your stories or will you claim freedom?
I am always amazed at how I laugh at myself when I reflect on the stories I have created. I take myself too seriously! Let’s lighten up together, yes?
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