stories

You Have Stepped Into the Pages of a Story

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 15 Conversations

 

 

There’s the story that’s wanting to be told, yearning to be expressed through you. Let’s call that your soul song.

There’s also the story that you made up as a child; a story that limits you and what’s possible for your life. It’s what you call the truth about you.

Which story will you speak into existence?

Because that’s what you do every time you open your mouth. You create something that is not currently in existence.

Think of your primary story; the one that’s been with you as long as you can remember.

I’m unlovable.

I’m not worthy.

I’m not enough.

I’m too much.

I’m not good enough.

Not. Good. Enough.

Imagine never speaking it again.

Really, imagine it for a moment.

When I go there, it’s beautiful and silent and anything is possible.

I’m asking you to go there too.

Stop speaking and sharing your old, well-worn story. It’s nothing more than a disempowering fairytale.

Say something new and create a future that was never going to happen.

Until now.

 

In Your Skin, On Fire from Within

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 27 Conversations

 

Once upon a time you were comfortable in your skin.

It may have been a long time ago, but you were.

You were born that way – fully, completely at home in your skin.

And then something happened.

Someone did something, someone said something. Self-consciousness was born and with it discomfort, as if your skin had become too tight.

What if you could go back to that time and remember the glorious feeling of “bien dans sa peau”?

Bien dans sa peau – literally translated means feeling well in your skin, at ease with yourself.

Well in your skin. 

I want that, don’t you?

“As if you were on fire from within. The moon lives in the lining of your skin.” – Pablo Neruda

seated nude

Well in my skin. . .I’m not sure I know what it means.

My curiousity aroused, I want to find out.

“it ain’t no sin, to take off your skin and dance around in your bones” – Tom Waits

If you’ve resolved to become more fully yourself, this is an invitation to explore and rewrite the story of who you are in your skin. For what gets in the way is most definitely a story you’ve listened to and repeated far too long.

Now is the time for a new story to emerge – a story of wholeness and being in your skin exactly the way you are.

And exactly the way you’re not.

You.

Fully yourself.

In your skin, on fire from within.

“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” – Brene Brown

 

Over to you:

  • Feel how your old story shows up in your body.
  • Now imagine wellness in your skin.

Which do you want more of?

I want to hear from you.

Tell me your thoughts in the comments below. 

 

 

Prompted by A Year With Myself, a year-long adventure in empowerment.

 

 

Sticky Stories and the Lizard That Stops Us

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 6 Conversations

 

The Vagabondage Series:  Elana Baxter on escaping the comfort zone.

 

We all have weaknesses and not just one or two.

Some of mine include English period films, glossy magazines, gossip sites and espresso. But there’s one weakness I’ve yet to divulge until today.

Worksheets.

I know, a bit anticlimactic and not even a bit risqué. But nevertheless, I have a soft spot for worksheets.

So when my coach told me she would be sending some along – not one, but some – I was ready to dive in and start neatly answering all of the questions, eager to ponder each one with focused consideration.

Then they came.

After the initial introduction discussing my favourite subjects – ideal work and living a life you love – I hurried to the next section to begin. That’s when the can of worms began to squirm uncomfortably.

List what you dreamed of as a child seemed a simple enough statement. I could do that. Plus, I’d been instructed to slap a roll of duct tape on the lizard brain in order to do the work and just write whatever felt right and true. I resolved to quietly ignore the squirming worms and move on.

Visions and memories of dancing, singing, writing, drawing, painting, playing music – they all came to the surface. I looked at my answers. All silent contemplation went up in flames. The worms started a full-fledged riot, apparently not happy in their can and my lizard brain had removed the duct tape muzzle (lizards are tricky little bastards).

I can’t dance now! I’m too old.

Singing? There’s no time for s i n g i n g!

Painting?!! Now you’re really talking a fine tune right out of your ass lady!

And so on.

Every joyous memory and hopeful vision, dismantled by the lizard and a chorus of obnoxious worms with a story to tell.

Continue reading →

Evolution of A Story

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 18 Conversations

 

Guest post from Rachael Acklin sharing the evolution of her story.

 

I’ve been making up stories about myself since I was a child.

I used to pretend that I lived in Middle Earth, and that the woods behind my house were full of elves.

sunlight in forestI used to climb trees and pretend that I lived out there and could fall asleep on a branch and not fall down.

As I grew older, and had a boyfriend, I told myself that I was boring and not very pretty, because a sixteen-year-old boy found me rather bland.

When I was in my twenties, I told myself that romance wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and that a husband who came home every night was better than excitement.

Later when he left me, I told myself that I was used and damaged and nobody would ever want me.

But I also told myself that I was capable of taking care of my two little kids on my own, and that I didn’t need anyone else.

Then a year or so later I decided I did need someone else, and I pretended I was happy that way.

It’s taken me years of pain and heartache, along with beautifully sunny days full of smiles and laughter and the love of my children, to see that so many of the stories I’ve told myself are pure and utter bullshit.

And that I can leave them behind, not just to write a new story, but to see myself for who I really am.

Continue reading →

Here’s Where the Story Ends

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 41 Conversations

 

Ahh, the stories you tell yourself. If I had a nickel for all the stories my clients have shared over the last 10 years I’d be rich.

Very. Very. Rich.

stack of old books and spectaclesStories you were told growing up.

Stories you made up about yourself.

Stories that held you back.

It’s enough to have Freud turn over in his grave.

Err, actually, he’d probably like all your stories because that would mean lots of time on the couch.

I was reminded of the power of stories by two things  recently:  a chat with the fabulous El Edwards of TruthPassionJoy and a song called The Story Ends by The Sundays.

The thing that most people forget about stories is this. . .

They’re all made up in the first place. 

You create you. Then you forget.

A relative comments on your height/weight/hair colour ==> You make this mean you’ll have to compensate and work harder than everyone else to get ahead.

An ex-boyfriend says you’re too intense ==> You decide you’re too much for people to handle and start suppressing yourself.

A kid on the playground calls you a nerd ==> You give up on all things athletic because clearly, you are NOT a jock.

Your 4th grade teacher says “stop trying so hard, you’ll never be an artist” ==> You stop doing what you love to do (except in your most secret dreams) and do what’s expected.

See how this works?

They said X ==> You made up Y

Continue reading →