The unconscious story that invisibly guides your life: Discover your personal narrative - part I

Monday, May 28, 2012 by: Mike Bundrant
Tags: personal narrative, unconscious, stories

(NaturalNews) Tell me who you are in 5 minutes or less. No rehearsing. No self-editing. No holding back. Just come out with your default life story in a nutshell.

Most people never consider their personal narrative, the story of their life as it currently rests somewhere deep within their psyche. However, evidence suggests that there may be no more powerful determinant of your experience, including how happy you are.

How stories affect your perception of the world around you

One study reported by scienceNOW demonstrated that the brain's sensory regions (parts of the brain active when we pay attention to the outside world) were inactive when subjects were listening to literal language. However, when listening to metaphorical language - stories that described the outside world - the brain's sensory regions activated.

In other words, metaphors and other stories are deeply woven into the fabric of human communication and appear to be enmeshed with how we perceive the world.

"When you become aware of your personal story," said Jake Eagle, co-founder of GreenPsychology.net, "you tap into the invisible force that quietly guides your worldview and the direction your life takes. It's a huge piece of your identity that most people overlook."

According to Jake, healthy and happy people have personal narratives that reflect maturity, balance and acceptance of the truth. However, personal narratives don't always begin that way. They may need to be updated to match your current age and experience.

The personal narrative exercise, part one:

This simple exercise will reveal your personal story in its current state. Do it and find out how your unconscious mind is tracking the story of your life.

Type your personal life story in five minutes or less. Don't edit, rehearse or hold back. If you were to explain your story, in a nutshell, to a compassionate stranger, how would it go?

In part two of this article, to be published on Natural News soon, we will explore:

1. Five personal narrative factors that lead to your unhappiness. You'll review your narrative for the critical factors that hold you back in life.

2. The seven elements of a healthy narrative that lead to happiness and inner peace. These suggestions will lead you toward developing a narrative that creates a powerful new view of yourself and the world.

3. Before and after examples of narratives and the changes they have created in the lives of real people.

Do the exercise and stay tuned for part two of this series. You'll be glad you did.

Sources for this article include:

http://greenpsychology.net
http://io9.com

About the author:
Watch the free video The AHA! Process: An End to Self-Sabotage and discover the lost keys to personal transformation and emotional well-being that have been suppressed by mainstream mental health for decades.

The information in this video has been called the missing link in mental health and personal development. In a world full of shallow, quick-fix techniques, second rate psychology and pharmaceutical takeovers, real solutions have become nearly impossible to find. Click here to watch the presentation that will turn your world upside down.

Mike Bundrant is co-founder of the iNLP Center and host of Mental Health Exposed, a Natural News Radio program.

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