It's all in your head

We don't always realize how powerful our thoughts are. They serve as the foundation for our self esteem and self worth. We internalize what is being said by those around us about their beliefs. These may be parents, siblings, partners, co-workers, or friends. For many people the words of others continue to haunt them much as if the person was physically present. My father had a favorite expression he used with his children that was anything but positive. As an adult I realize that it was his story that was too painful for him to acknowledge and change. I adopted that story for many years until I realized that it belonged to him, and not me. I no longer had to use it as the filter through which I experienced and interpreted life. The last time I visited my father before he died, I could see that it was still important for him to hold onto his story. I had moved on and he hadn't. We are each free to release that which limits our growth. It may take time, but it is worth it. When we change our thinking patterns, we begin to live the life that was meant for us. It can be a life filled with happiness, joy, and freedom. What stories from your past are holding you back and need to be rewritten in your thinking?