I joined a weekend-long Mom-daughter retreat as part of a Girl's Leadership program that my daughter was in last year.
The theme of the retreat is “speak up, stand up“.
The fun weekend involved lots of group activities such as walking in the woods, cooking, crafts, yoga; and provided a group learning environment encouraging open dialogue, connections, and reflection.
In one of the group exercises, all the girls and Moms formed a circle sitting and tossing a squishy ball in the group. The person catching the ball needs to say something about herself that starts with "I am..." before tossing it to someone else. Some said, “I am good at math”, “I am kind”, or “I am short”, “I am shy”, etc.
At the end of the exercise, the program coach asked each to think about her top 3 "I am"s.
(Intentional pause)
Speaking of “I am”s, these are the stories we tell ourselves - about ourselves. Over time, they become part of what we believe and part of our mindset. These stories shape our reality.
In the field of narrative psychology, researchers make one resounding point: We don’t just tell stories, stories tell us. They shape our thoughts and memories. Storytelling isn’t just how we construct our identities, stories ARE our identities.
(Intentional pause)
What are YOUR top 3 “I am”s?
What stories do you tell yourself, consciously or sub-consciously? Are they limiting or expansive in nature?
How might those stories influence whom you will become 5 years from now? How might those stories impact the people and the environment around you - (including your children, if any)?
What stories do you prefer to tell?
