You are all of your ages, every last one of them. But you are not your old stories. Stories are just that… memories locked in time. When you remember yourself at younger ages, it can be powerful to recall a moment of pride, joy or peace. Often those moments aren’t stored in us as stories. The more painful memories, however, tend to form the stories of our past.

Humans have a negativity bias. It has likely developed for survival. When you think about it, it actually is more important to our survival to remember something scary and dangerous than something pleasant and peaceful! This is the reason that it is important to tap into pleasant moments of our past ages. Imagine yourself at various ages enjoying yourself in some way. And if a painful story tries to emerge, remember that negativity bias is perfectly natural. Your brain is functioning!

Understanding your pain is a courageous act! And, balancing it out with the lightness of your spirit and your history provides you with a more accurate sense of self. All of us, no matter your past, have experienced moments of pride, joy and peace. It is time to call them in! Even while you may be doing courageous healing work, especially then…