The only thing certain is change.
Yep, don't we all have a cognitive appreciation of that? Its is a reasonably simple concept to grasp isn't it? BUT why then do we suffer so much when our hopes, dreams and plans get run over by the inevitable freight train we know as life? Why do we cling to our well worn story of who we are...who we could've or should've been - even when we know its causing us pain or stopping us from moving forward?
Because. even if its painful...our story is familiar and its "truly' ours! Each of us holds an omnipotent fantasy...a fantasy that we can control and massage our external environment to meet our unmet desires and wants (we often absurdly refer to these as our "needs"). That our story is fixed and factual.
We grasp and cling to our story like a kid with its comfort toy...and when that doesn't work we inevitably attack - ourselves (and sometimes others) for having failed, for broken promises and for missed opportunities!
Not only is our grasping and clinging (the Buddhist know this as attachment) futile - its also painful.
What would happen if we learned to change the stories we tell ourselves and others about who we are, where we have been...and freed ourselves to consider our possibility as it is in the here and now?
Rather than settle for being the "sum total of the stories we tell ourselves" rather than hide behind our story....
What would happen if we learned to let go of the story we cling too?
Learning to LET GO doesn't mean we no longer give a sh*t or give up - it means we give up on our fantasy of control ...let go of our need to grab onto our story... and work to remain open to whatever arises - allowing ourselves to accept that change is constant.
So to start changing the story we tell ourselves and allowing space for new experiences begin with these four steps: 1) tell your story 2) consider the possibilities/appreciate yourself 3) challenge your old story/myth 4) learn, let go, relearn!