The Stories We Tell Ourselves

0:00So, here's the thing, there are two worlds we all live in simultaneously. This is the world that's actually happening. You know real conversations, actual actions, tangible consequences. The stuff that's objectively happening around you right now. And then, there's this other world, the one in our minds. We imagined arguments that haven't happened yet. The worst case scenario that we play on repeat, like a horror movie. The assumptions about what people must be thinking about us, and is the wild part. Sometimes, these two worlds don't even match, like at all. In real life, someone didn't text you back yet, maybe they're in a meeting, maybe therefore died, maybe they're just busy, but in your head, oh, in your head, they've come

1:01literally lost interest. They found someone better, they think you're annoying, and they ghost in you. In real life, you made a small mistake at work. Maybe you sent an email with a typo, or forgot to see someone, but in your head, you root everything permanently, your boss hates you, you're getting fired, and your career is over. See how crazy that Gabby is? We take these tiny data points from reality, and then our minds just run wild, create an entire fiction of narratives that we treat as fact. Here's a truth that may stink a little. We don't actually serve a form reality. We serve a form the story we're telling ourselves about it. It's the meaning we attach to things. The narrative we create with absolutely no evidence to back it up. Your mind isn't showing you the truth, as showing your fear dressed up as prediction.

2:07Think about that for a second. Your anxiety isn't based on what's happening, it's based on what you think may happen, and what you've decided something means. You're not reacting to reality, you're reacting to your interpretation of reality. In those interpretations, there's usually way more dramatic and negative than what's actually going on. It's like your brain is this overprotective parent who sees danger everywhere. Someone looks at you funny. Your brain's like they hate you. They did something wrong, everyone's judging you. But in reality, they may just hide something in their eye or thinking about what to have for dinner. We'll make more walking around carrying on their stress and anxiety about things that literally only exist in our heads. Let's get real for a moment. Most of what we are afraid of, it hasn't happened.

3:10And most of what you're stressed about, it won't happen. Seriously, think back to all the things you were worried about last month, last year. How many of them actually came true, the way you imagined? Probably not many, right? We spent so much energy living in these imaginary futures, playing out scenarios that will never occur, preparing for disasters that never arrive, is exalted. With the craziest pot, while we're busy freaking out about made up problems, we're missing out on what's actually in front of us. Your mind is constantly trying to protect you by predicting threats. But it's like a smoke alarm that goes off when you're making toast. It's doing its job, but it's massively overreacting. The key is learning to recognize when your mind is showing you a genuine concern versus

4:16when it's just spiraling into friction. So how do we deal with this? Learning to separate what's real from what you invented, that's where freedom leaves. And it's actually similar than you think, when you catch yourself spiraling, pause and ask, what do I actually know to be true right now? Not what you think, not what you assume, not what may happen, what do you actually know? If someone didn't text back, all you know is they haven't texted back yet. That's it. Everything else, the story is about why, the assumptions about what it means, that's all invented. And once you start seeing the difference between facts and fiction, it's like someone turned on the lights in a dark room. You realize how much unnecessary suffering you've been carrying around. Stop living in the future that doesn't exist.

5:18Come back to what actually happened right now, in this moment. Look around you, what's real, what's actually in front of you, chances are, it's usually not as bad as you think. In fact, it's probably pretty okay, maybe even good. This isn't about toxic positivity or pretending problems don't exist. Real problems deserve real attention. But most of what we stress about, it's not real problems, it's imaginary ones. Start catching yourself when you notice that gap between reality, the story you're telling, when you feel anxiety creeping in, ask yourself, if this actually happened or it might just afraid it may happen, bring yourself back to the present moment. What's actually true right now, not what could be true, not what was true, not what maybe true tomorrow, what's true right now.

6:21That's where peace leads, that's where clarity leaves, that's where you can actually do with what's in front of you instead of shadow, boxing with ghosts. Look, your mind is powerful, but it's not always accurate, it's trying to keep you safe, but sometimes it's creating problems when non-exist. The more you practice distinguishing between what's real and what's invented, the lighter your view, the freer you'll be. So next time you're spiraling, take a breath, come back to reality and remember, you're probably making it worse than it is.