I think of myself as a story teller. I enjoy using my imagination to get into my characters heads.

I didn’t realise until this morning just how much my propensity for storytelling applies to myself and the so called “real world” around me.

This morning’s writing session began with my notebook and pen.

So I was writing – longhand in my notebook, when I wrote something that set off shocks all over my brain.”..and that is just another story I tell myself” appeared on the page.  I was head muttering about something and had just made the realisation that what I was talking about – was in fact a story.

A story I tell myself..

Then I started to think, hang on if I tell myself a story about this (issue) then what else do I tell stories to myself about.

Assumptions about other people. Their talents – what they are capable of.  Their emotions – are they are angry, sad, fearful. They haven’t said mind you – I am just assuming from the indications that they appear to be giving off.  What do they think of? Other people is a particularly long piece of string though so I’ll try something shorter.

Assumptions about myself and my abilities. This was scary. This was where I realised that if I limit myself to what “I think I am capable of” then that story is not nearly bold enough. Note to self – write a more expansive and amazing story and then live it!

Assumptions about what I might do tomorrow (because with all the best to do lists in the world one has to take into account that the house may burn down or some other such disaster and I may very well not get anything done).

Storytelling. We all do it. Unfortunately it leads to the building of a great many imaginary fences. Which we then have to climb over in order to get anywhere in life.  Once you start digging into your own stories – if you were so inclined – you would very quickly see what I mean.

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What if we were to write the story of our own lives differently? What if we were to put our imagination and storytelling to its very best purpose and imagine not only the best for ourselves but also the best for others.

That!

Would be a very good use of imagination and storytelling.

The above photo was one I took  at Lake Nooga Nooga – an amazing birdlife habitat in Western Queensland.