July 2021 Issue 152

Page 74

A

starts to believe what her friend is saying. Maybe she is smarter than she thinks. Maybe she can accomplish more if she tries.

s humans, we have been telling stories forever. From the short, “guess what I did last night” to the epic novel, we love to tell and listen to each other’s narratives. I have a story of my life, and so do you. We tell these stories to people whom we have just met, and bits and pieces to our friends as we grow closer. I want to show you how powerful these stories can be. You see, the story you tell people about yourself is the story that makes you who you are, and it governs your choices and actions. The sad thing about many people’s stories, is that we often think we can’t change them. Here is the story of Jill. Jill told her girlfriend that she grew up poor and abused, and couldn’t to go to school. She uses this story to explain her

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Of course, this is a bit simplistic, and the road ahead for Jill in real life would contain ups, downs, and many revisions to her story over time. But you can see how a small change in her story brought her from a closed future to one open to possibilities.

Turn your Story into a Legend inability to leave her dead-end job and never bothers to try to improve her circumstances. Why would she? Every time she thinks she might try to take a few night classes, she remembers she is just a “dummy” and would probably flunk out anyway.

Brenda Isaak Takao

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This frustrates the heck out of her friend, because she can see that Jill is no dummy. Jill works really hard at her job, and is a great problem solver when customers call with issues. Her friend knows that Jill is very creative and great with her kids, but she just can’t seem to get Jill to see her positive attributes. Jill has decided that her past is her story, and doesn’t realize that she is stopping herself from seeing another version of herself. Therefore, her story has the power to keep from living her dreams, or maybe even having dreams. As Tony Robbins says, “the strongest force in the human personality is the need to stay consistent with how we define ourselves.” If our belief about who we are is limiting, we won’t let ourselves step outside of our story to become a greater version of ourselves. Let’s look at Jill again. One day, Jill has a breakthrough. She overcame a situation where she was convinced she would fail. Suddenly, her story isn’t true anymore, and this makes her pause. She has to start to see herself with new eyes, and this time, when she shares her triumph with her friend, she

When we rewrite our stories, they become exciting, and the more we examine and change, the more we empower ourselves. We become heroes, and our stories turn into legends. One way to transform your story is by trying to catch yourself at the telling, and then try to reframe your situation. Sometimes trusted friends can be very helpful to give you another point of view. Believe that you can be the author of your story, and not the past that made you. Open yourself to new possibilities and be willing to dig to find the strengths you already have inside. It can be very helpful to get a Life Coach to help you mine your hidden resources. They can help you define your dreams, and embolden you to take the steps you need to reach them. Whether you want to brave the hero’s journey on your own, or get help, I am cheering for you. We could all use another hero’s legend to listen to, because when we see one person reaching for their dreams, it inspires the rest of us to reach for our dreams, as well. Brenda Isaak Takao is an innovative artist and life coach working to seed the world with wonder and joy.


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Articles inside

July Forecasts by Georgia Nicols

5min
page 77

Turn your Story into a Legend

3min
page 74

Hot Days of Summer Favourite Swimming Holes

2min
page 71

Why We Should Read

3min
page 69

Wingboarding

4min
page 76

Improve Digestion, Increase Energy

3min
page 68

Habitat for Humanity Building Strong Communities

2min
page 70

Flowers in July

2min
page 67

A Hidden Gem in the Cowichan Valley

2min
page 66

Have you ever seen a Nudibranch?

2min
pages 62-63

Recycling: The Last Option

2min
page 64

Cowichan Food Innovation Program

1min
page 56

Gardening with KinPark Kids

2min
page 61

Working Together to Save Water in the Koksilah Watershed

5min
pages 57-59

Engaging the Ecological Imagination

1min
page 60

A “Light” Evening Paddle in Cowichan Bay

1min
page 55

Cowichan District Hospital Foundation

2min
page 53

I laughed so hard I peed my Pants

2min
page 52

Balancing Your Moods

3min
page 51

Reconfirming the Oneness of Humanity

2min
page 50

The Hidden Hazard In Your Workplace

3min
page 49

Bill C-12, the Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act

2min
pages 46-47

Planning Your Estate

2min
page 48

Soil Structure

2min
page 45

Why Hire an Interior Decorator?

2min
page 43

2021 Islands Folk Festival Live Streaming on FB

4min
pages 40-42

Romance in Full Bloom at Aquamaris Art Gallery

1min
page 39

Artist Joanne Nemeth at Excellent Frameworks

1min
page 38

Valley Voices: Childhood Contrasts

3min
page 36

Wool Helps to Treat Common Senior Ailments

3min
page 35

Grounded Grandmothers a New Book by Aukje Kapteyn

2min
page 34

Pregnancy and Covid-19

3min
page 33

Travel Advice From an Organic Bedding Connoisseur

3min
page 32

Downtown Duncan BIA

3min
pages 30-31

Sensational Summers at the Pubic Market

1min
pages 28-29

Love Your Soda Stream...again

2min
page 23

Cowichan Valley Art Council: Floored

1min
page 24

Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society Hitting a High Note

2min
page 27

Double Eagle: A Collaboration

2min
page 25

Explore Chemainus

2min
page 26

Spinach Salad with Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette

0
page 22

Summer Sippers

2min
pages 20-21

Duncan Farmers Market

1min
page 12

Not Just About Old Growth: Defending the Sacred at Ada’itsx

3min
pages 9-11

39 Days of July

0
page 13

In Defence of Chardonnay

3min
pages 18-19

Community Apples Finding New Life in Cider

2min
page 16

A Request for a Tree Protection Bylaw

2min
page 8

Dry Aged Beef

2min
page 17

July Events

1min
pages 5-7
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