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Blaise Hunter | Human Rights Consultant | Heroine

Everyone in this world is an author—the writer of their own life.

What stories are we telling ourselves each day? Are they Fact or Fiction? Do they Heal or Hurt us?

Every single day we pick up a mental pen and compose a storyline of how each scene will playout. Our physical lives then respond to what is birthed in our minds. We often can’t change the things from the past, but we do have the influence to alter the course of our present and future selves. The Superpower Project is about highlighting various challenges or “kryptonites” facing people and helping us neutralize their effect on us. A deadly kyrptonite facing us these days is we don’t even realize we control the final edit.

We are the master of our thoughts, the director of our stories, and the leading role of our lives. But when we give power over to our thoughts and emotions, we end up becoming just an extra in our very own script. How can we ensure this doesn’t happen? How can we turn an adopted drama into an inspiring true story? We just need to change the narrative. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it is that simple.

Our personal narratives are the stories we tell about ourselves. Many are a product life experiences—the way we grew up, our traumas, the decisions we’ve made, and the trajectories our lives have taken. Many are also from the lens of various filters we see ourselves, the world, and others in. The personal narrative is a matrix. We are the creators of our own reality. So, if we can tap into writing a positive spin even on a negative situation, we create a healthy life rather than a toxic one. Most of the time we are subjective rather than objective, but this isn’t healthy. I was pretty good at allowing my imagination to get the best of me and I would continually buy into a fictious storyline. This never served me well. Habitually we feed into these plots but, there is no evidence to support our feelings. Time and time again the story I created was completely opposite to reality.

The key to this entire process is to become a referee of your own thoughts and then put on the detective hat in each situation. I literally picture a loud whistle blowing and that provokes me to halt the best-seller fiction writing. I pause the scene and then enter a series of questions to navigate through the set and take control of the narrative. No longer am I a victim of my story. We all experience hardships and crappy days. No one is immune to setbacks and tragedies but how do some people stay happy amongst the problem? I believe they have learned how to be Pulitzer Prize worthy writers. Those people don’t escape life’s obstacles, they just change the headline.

I started rewriting my story in 2017. I woke up one day and realized I didn’t like the person I had become nor the path I was on. I was full of sadness, anger, resentment, depression, anxiety, and lacked zeal for my own life. It was like a lightbulb finally turned on, “If I don’t like my life, then maybe I should take steps to change it.” Each day since then I make a conscious choice to examine the plotlines happening in my day and work towards injecting love, joy, peace, and hope into my personal narrative. This has transformed my world. It has taken commitment and I haven’t always gotten it right, but I give myself an ‘A’ for effort. I see the incredible mental strength I have developed, and I notice the positive results. The shift didn’t happen overnight and I’m still in the middle of my story but there is a sweet tone and empowering pitch to the collection of scenes in my life.

What kind of vibration does your story give off? Like me, you can change the course of your narrative just by committing to the process. Each time you face a situation where someone is rude, when you engage in conflict, when you’re deeply hurt, when something bad happens, when you are triggered, or when you mess up, blow the whistle, hit pause, and follow these steps:

• Take some deep breaths and count to 15

• Ask yourself if I have all the facts, or do I need more information?

• Is this narrative healthy or harmful?

• Is this true or is my matrix playing tricks on me?

• Is this a “them” issue or am I being triggered here? (sometimes it is one or the other, or both)

• How can I de-escalate this situation rather than fuel it?

• Am I contributing to this issue, if so, take ownership and apologize

• Take more deep breaths

• Remind yourself to not buy into fictitious scenarios, we don’t do that anymore

• Our brains don’t like “I don’t know” but usually we have little answers in that moment

• It’s better to continue the pause rather than write fiction narratives

• Tell yourself “I’m ok” “I am safe” and “I don’t need to deflect by projecting anger”

• Use language like “when you say that, I feel ….” Or “I am being triggered right now; I will get back to you”

• Say to yourself “I am the writer of this story” “I choose a healthy plot”

By following these series of tasks and queries, we change the direction of our thoughts. We channel them into a positive passageway which transforms the narrative. We become the lead of our life.

Changing the storyline is all about swapping out the filter, shaping the bigger picture, and designing your identity. Re-remembering the past is about discovering grace and forgiveness, altering your view of reality, and altering your view of yourself. We are the keepers of our story. We have final editing power. Be a wise writer today. For more information about the Heroine Movement visit www.blaisehunter.com