Edit Your Story
By Karen R. Deslandes
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"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."
—Carl Bard |
Have you ever felt like you were spinning around in circles? Ever felt like you were on a merry-go-round? For a period of time, you might feel like you’re actually getting somewhere, but before you know it, when you look up, you see that you’ve ended up in the same spot that you started from. So, how do you get off the merry-go-round and actually start taking strides towards ‘something more’?
In order for true transformation to happen in any area of our lives, there has to be a renewing of our minds. Our thoughts dictate our actions, so in order to change your actions, you have to change the thoughts that you have.
The Past is the Past
None of us can rewrite history, though some have tried. What has been done in the past cannot be altered. Two people can experience the same history but will have different interpretations based on how the past affected them. If we could rewrite history, I’m sure there are a lot of things everyone would change in their past. We would make everything perfect and nice, and nothing bad would have happened. Unfortunately, that is not reality to most of us. Now what can be redirected is the course of history. What I mean by that is that even though things might be headed in a certain direction, you have the power to change that direction, if that’s what you truly desire.
I love to write. I especially enjoy writing fiction. The reason why is that I can make the story turn out any way that I wish. I get to ask myself “what if?” The same holds true for your life. You get to decide the direction it is going. I’m sure you’ve heard of the expression “it’s the dash that counts”. It doesn’t matter the date you were born or the date that you depart this life. What matters most is what you do in between those dates. What the dash represents is what makes the dates significant. You see it does not matter under which circumstances you came to be here or what has happened up to this point. What does matter is what you do once you make the conscious decision to take control of where your life goes from this point on.
You’ve, no doubt, heard the expression that “history repeats itself”. In the business world, the term is often used that past behavior is usually a predictor of future behavior. It’s used to determine how an employee will perform in a position. While I understand the principle behind this concept, there is also a side of me that believes this theory is not etched in stone when it comes to matters of spiritual growth. I strongly believe that if one learns from their mistakes, they can make a change. The key word is LEARN. Learning represents a renewing of the mind, a deeper level of understanding. Prov. 4:7 says wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. You can fundamentally and intellectual know something, but only a deeper level of understanding can give you the courage to make changes in your life.
Today is a New Day
I know it sounds like a cliché, but today can be the first day of the rest of your life. Just like some people make a conscious choice and decide to give up. Not giving up is also a choice. You can decide to stand and fight. You can decide that what has always been doesn’t have to continue to be. History shows us many examples of times when people did just that (abolishment of slavery, women’s rights, civil rights). Just because up until now the story has always been following a certain theme doesn’t mean that it has to end up a certain way.
The Power of Words
What do you usually think when you hear someone say the word but? You probably think someone is about to make an excuse. But when your mind is renewed, “but” can give you a whole new lease on life. The word ‘but’ begins to take on the same meaning as the word “however”. When you know your purpose in this life, words take on a whole new meaning. For example:
Fill in the blanks.
No one in my family has ever graduated from college, but
____________________________________________________________
No one in my family has ever owned anything of their own, but
____________________________________________________________
None of the women in my family have been married, but
____________________________________________________________
I’ve been broke all of my life, and so has everyone else I know, but
____________________________________________________________
You get the gist? Write your own statement about a situation or thought process that might be keeping you from pursuing your dream. What clause can you add that can begin to turn that situation around?
What has your story been up until now? Do you not like how you see the story ending? Are you stuck or are you just resting until you’ve had a chance to regroup your thoughts? Does your story need to be refreshed? Have you been telling the same story for years? Do you need a new theme or some new characters? Is your story a historical story, filled with what has happened in the past or is it a story of what’s possible? How do you want your story to go?
In the Franklin Covey planning system, they ask some key questions that I think are powerful regarding how you live your life and spend your time. To paraphrase:
- List the key relationships in your personal and professional life?
- At your funeral, what tribute statement do you want each of these key people to make about you?
- Does the life that you are currently living match with the statement you would want each of them to make?
- If not, decide what changes you need to make to make the statements true, and start working towards them.
The greatest story you will ever tell will be by the life that you live. My mom used to sing this song a lot when I was younger. I didn’t always get it, but I do now. “May the works I’ve done speak for me.”
Be blessed as you edit your life story to align itself with your God-given purpose
