"WE DON'T SEE THEM AS A STORY, WE SEE THEM AS A PAGE"

"We don't see them as a story, we see them as a page" - Jay Shetty. (thank you Summa for sharing this with me xx) We are all a book...we all have different chapters that form our life's story, a story that is filled with experiences, love, grief, sadness, excitement, adventures, lessons & growth...yet many of us only see one page of that, or more so, only choose to see one page. We take one conversation, event, encounter, stories we hear, a look, a sound, a choice made and we create our own meaning and wrap our own beliefs around that one moment to decide on who we think a person to be. We are too often unwilling to see more, to ask more, to get to know more. Of others and of ourselves. When we choose to look past just the page we have seen or are looking at, we can come to more of an understanding of why we may see them as we see them, or see ourselves how we see ourselves. When we can ask more questions, when we can build more curiosity into another (& ourselves), to learn them (& us), to hear where they're from (& remember where we're from) we build more connection, we build more compassion, we gain more of an understanding and see more of who they really are. This all takes time to know the story of another, it takes the right space for conversations to be had to learn more and a willingness to hear another (& ourselves). Many hold shame around parts of their story and possibly create another version to protect themselves. It's not always easy to share parts of our story in fear of judgement, feeling alone in it or feeling you could have done better. Being able to open up to your own story with yourself first, helps you be able to open up to another and sit and hear another's story. We all just wish to feel safe in sharing, to know that vulnerability isn't weakness, it's strength, it's what helps one heal, which helps heal the world around you. You have a story and so do I...and all of it is ok and just as it was meant to unfold for us to receive what we were meant to mostly learn & experience. Not only that, the paths people have travelled, even if just a short distance, speak some great tales. I remember one night someone asking me 'So, what's your story' to which I replied with a laugh...'Gosh, which chapter'...where does one start. Well you start wherever it starts, whatever naturally forms, a simple word, a song, anything that ignites a story. Let yourself be human & stop masking all that you feel...love, sadness, excitement, frustration...let it all through, be ok with what you want, what you desire, what lights you up, what feeds your damn soul, what f&#ks you off haha...because when you do, you can gain more understanding for yourself, for your story and for others. Think about how you wish your story to be in the coming years...The first part is usually unconsciously created, written in default mode, the next chapters get to be created with intention...written from your souls truth. Learn to love your story...your a beautiful book of great tales that bring lessons & joy to others...share them.