My guess is, we all carry two stories about ourselves.
One is the story we share with others. It’s how we want people to think of us. The other is the story we take to bed at night and wake up with in the morning. It’s the story about the person we think we really are.
In my younger days, my two stories were a long way apart. I wanted people to see a young man of great confidence and wisdom. If I needed to reshape a personal story to make me look more perfect to others, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
My inside story was full of fear. I saw myself as not measuring up to the expectations set by my parents and others of influence. I failed at college. I failed with one corporate startup, and then another. The story I told myself was not a pretty one – and no match for the embellished story I was telling others.
I’ve come to believe good mental and emotional health are achieved when your two stories come close together, even if they may never perfectly align.
I’m getting there. I may still have two stories, but they sound pretty similar.