What a shock! Time change happened and I wasn’t paying attention. With so much snow in the yard it just seems wrong.

Maybe I am the only one out of sync with the season, my house plants are all starting to grow and bloom again.

I don’t think it’s me. -16C and two feet of snow?

I had things on my mind to chat about, honest, but all this talk about time and weather has derailed all rational thought.
I’ll go for coffee and a bite to eat, maybe that will help.

This is hours later and it didn’t really help. I wanted to have something upbeat and light to talk about but it’s not happening. For a number of reasons

I was reading and liking a book but it didn’t qualify as positive because of the ongoing distressing events facing the characters. It turned out well in the end but since I feel other’s emotions …

And then…

A You Tube podcast was impactful this week. But it too deals with a serious subject.

At one point in the video the conversation was centered around brokenness and a new idea (at least to me) was put forth. I don’t remember the conversation enough to quote it, and that can be a good thing. The question was: in regard to story, are we living and defining ourselves by our old story or by our present story? Most of us are living with our old story.

That’s true for me, when I stop to think about it. The abusive story of origin is the first place my thoughts go when asked about my life. In many ways the old story does define me because of the depth of emotional damage. Like a crippling spinal injury, in some areas it will color the way I do life for as long as I live. On the other hand though, my life as a whole took a 180 once we were removed from the situation. The idea put forth in the video was that we need to write and live by our new story. I can see the positive difference it would make to my view, and the world’s view, of me if I did this.

Replacing the old with the new will take some getting used to. It sounds easy but to do it successfully the insecure view of myself will have to change drastically. That will be the hard part. I think I like the idea enough to give it an honest try though.

Here is the video with the helpful conversation. The part referring to writing our new story happens in the last 10 minutes. Everything else is worth listening to as well. This is a leadership podcast but they cover so much more and it all applies to everyday people like you and me. Although who is to say we aren’t leaders? They say we should look behind us and if someone is following we are a leader, never mind that it isn’t a recognized leadership. The opposite is also sometimes true; there are a few in recognized leadership positions who, if they looked behind, would find no one following.

But leadership is not the focus here, the need for writing our new story is.

Ian Morgan Cron is talking about his latest book and in it he spends time on the idea of writing our new story, explaining why it is a worthwhile and life changing exercise.

The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self

Drawing on his training as a psychotherapist and his own personal experience, Ian Cron explains how you can:

• rewrite the self-sabotaging stories you tell yourself about who you are,
• free yourself from the tyranny of unconscious childhood messages, and
• overcome the self-defeating patterns of behavior that prevent you from becoming your authentic self.

With this powerful tool, Cron shows us how each type can shed their broken stories and harness their unique power within to become who we are truly meant to be, shedding the unhappiness we accumulate by trying to live out of the wrong story. Filled with examples from people whose lives have been transformed for the better, Cron maps out a guide for using Enneagram wisdom to reauthor your life and experience deep inner transformation, healing, and happiness.

Rewrite the story of you and find the freedom in becoming your true self!

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His first book in this series is also helpful.

The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery

Ignorance is bliss―except in self-awareness.
What you don’t know about yourself can hurt you and your relationships―and even keep you in the shallows with God. Do you want help figuring out who you are and why you’re stuck in the same ruts?
The Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. In The Road Back to You Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile forge a unique approach―a practical, comprehensive way of accessing Enneagram wisdom and exploring its connections with Christian spirituality for a deeper knowledge of ourselves, compassion for others, and love for God.
Witty and filled with stories, this book allows you to peek inside each of the nine Enneagram types, keeping you turning the pages long after you have read the chapter about your own number. Not only will you learn more about yourself, but you will also start to see the world through other people’s eyes, understanding how and why people think, feel, and act the way they do.
Beginning with changes you can start making today, the wisdom of the Enneagram can help take you further along into who you really are―leading you into places of spiritual discovery you would never have found on your own, and paving the way to the wiser, more compassionate person you want to become.

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There are varied opinions on the value of Enneagram. I’ve gone into it with an open but discerning mind and have found much that resonates and is helpful to me.

I have a tendency, like many others along with me, to beat myself up. Brutally sometimes. Learning more about who I am and how I tick has made a world of difference in the way I view myself. More tolerance, less critical, kindness.

I’m looking forward to growing with the latest book.

I hope you will find this as helpful in your journey as I do in mine.