MONDAY BYTES – May 28, 2012
Memorial Day is a good time to think about our best memories of those we miss. It’s the stories we tell that keep these memories and people vibrant in our imaginations. Stories make us human and connect us with our humanity.
And then there are the self-reflecting memories and stories: what we tell ourselves about ourselves. These narratives are the generalized myths we believe about who we really are, about our capabilities, and how our careers and lives play out.
These often unexamined internal tropes dictate our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. If the old tapes running in our heads are based on negative stories, we reap what we have sewn. For better or worse, we become who we tell ourselves we are destined to be, we pre-determine our future.
All too often, self-esteem and ego issues get in our way, and they are typically at the root of performance anxiety, procrastination, stalled careers, and other varieties of how we become “stuck.”
But thankfully, there ARE ways to change those internal recordings and move forward positively. You CAN re-write your story and swap out the particular memories you choose to hold on to. A coach, mentor, or counselor can often help but so can these exercises.
Challenge for the week:
1. What are the defining moments that have shaped how you see yourself? Think about this and be honest—you may surprise yourself!
2. Write down the quintessential story(s) you have told other people about yourself—stories that exemplify your best and worst qualities and capabilities.
3. Notice the unconscious tape messages running in your head. These are often negative. Write down new positive versions and this week experiment with replacing any negative self-talk with the new positive versions.
Join me in NYC on June 5 at Chamber Music America’s FREE First Tuesday series, where I’m presenting a session on Project Management for Musicians. Seating is limited so reserve your space & get the details HERE. See you there!
As always, love to get your feedback—
Curious about working with me? Details are HERE.
Monday Bytes archived posts are HERE.
Dream big, Plan smart, Live well!
