We are living in turbulent times. The disease has been in the headlines for months on a global scale. We are bombarded with numbers, daily, of the number of infected and the number of deaths. The media publicize the mass graves that are being dug in South America. We also see 4,500 trumpeters simultaneously (in their own time zone) blowing blasts in honor of all who have died during these difficult experiences.
How do you develop your story? What influences you when it comes to the stories you share, retell, or embellish? How are you doing with the massive influx of news, every outlet vying for your attention and support? If you follow television, journalists and social networks, you cannot avoid overstimulation. They attack us like children in a classroom, all raising their hands and yelling “Pick me, pick me.”
Humans are sponges. From the moment of our birth we absorb information from our environment. We learn by experience. We observe how others respond to the situation and use that information to form our opinions and strategies for success.
The question we must ask ourselves is, “Who is writing your narrative?” An actor is given a script to follow. They say the lines given to them. No matter your opinion in the real world, actors say what they’re told to say. The narrative on the screen is different from the narrative of one walking the streets.
Twelve-step programs have an important saying: “Take what you need and leave the rest.” There is a belief that emphasizes quantity over quality. The more information you have, the better the decision or action will be; not always true. If we are not selective in forming our own narratives, we are faced with cognitive dissonance. Have you ever played tug of war when you were a kid? Imagine that tension and effort in your mind.
Critical thinking is a skill set that is getting out of hand. We teach children to pass an exam. We have become a society where the Pied Pipers lead groups. Unfortunately, if you know anything about the Pied Piper, he pulled rats off a dock to drain them. Now is the moment of individuation. We did it physically and developmentally when we were teenagers. We learned to go out into the world and survive.
We live in a time where adaptability is more important than strength. We are forced to filter the smoke screens and find clarity. Culturally, we are working to develop new strategies for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
What does your narrative say about you? How are you crafting the story you want to tell and want to live? What impact does your narrative have on the world?