TUESDAY WITH TONI | WHO’S THE BOSS | JOURNALING THE JOURNEY

Control Your Narrative

Maintain the ➖Editor In Chief ➖ position to stay in front of external miscommunication expressed to silence your story.

You exist in a complex community supported by interwoven stories, most of which conflict with yours. It’s important to remember that…

The only story you can control is your own.

Trying to tell someone else’s story is a colossal waste of your time and energy. Don’t squander a second of the most valuable asset in your personal portfolio.

Instead, own the narrative that will define your life. Consciously focus on breaking down barriers built by self-limiting beliefs. The result of this effort will propel you across boundaries you might not even have dared to cross.

Writing a personal prologue offers one step in that direction. It helps you gain the clarity to get unstuck. It helps you uncover thoughts that invisibly restrict your mobility.

Read the posts below that illustrate how the concept works.

Succinct statement: BGREAT 👉🏾My Prologue: Writing Challenge

Three Boosted Posts

Toya Qualls-Barnette 👉🏾 Breaking Free From the Shackles of Silence. Frances A. Chiu, Ph.D. | writing coach | editor 👉🏾“Nevertheless, She Persisted” — and Finished a Ph.D. at Oxford University Jacquline Dacres 👉🏾To Change My Future, I Had To Change What I Believed

Anna V 👉🏾 Somewhere Between Curses & Dreams.

Dr. Preeti Singh 👉🏾Breaking the Barriers of Society.

Estella Writes 👉🏾 MY LIFE BE LIKE: The Prologue of My Story: Build For Resilience.

Scarlet Ibis James 👉🏾🦩An Interesting Podcast Interview Of Up & Coming Author

Deb Palmer👉🏾A Deep Dive into My Past Uncovers a Disturbing Pattern

Question… Who wrote your story? Was it you? Or possibly someone else? Furthermore, is your story filled with self-affirming validation? Or is it populated by triggering words that mess with your mind?

Though it sounds counterintuitive, get still and take a moment to listen to your self-talk. Pay close attention to what you repeatedly say to yourself. Is the voice kind?

Or does is call forth a mean gene? Something your parent said that stuck with you? For example, habitually harping on your flaws, signals an inner dialog that reeks of unworthiness.

To nip it in the bud, take a deep dive into your past. Search for the source(s) who overemphasized failures while simultaneously minimizing your accomplishments. External narratives are rarely created by accident. They are manufactured. Most are simply a mirror of another person’s limitations. The problem is that the reflection decimates your identity.

Try to pinpoint the Machiavellian manipulations of secret sabotage. Know for a fact that it’s impossible to rise when you are the one who is the most responsible for constantly pushing yourself down.

The “Aha-Ha Moment” arrives when you unearth the underlying beliefs harbored in your head. You realize your harsh judgments are the weights that holds you down.

To become the best version of yourself, make it a habit to audit your inner dialog. That’s the value of externalizing your thoughts. Use Medium to get them out of your head and onto the screen.

Notice the nuances. They illuminate narrative loops. Hyper-awareness of what’s going on inside you head, helps you see what’s stopping you. This knowledge aids in your personal development.

You become more confident and independent. You gain the ability to articulate your truth. You lean wholeheartedly into who you authentically are.

You look at your surroundings with clarity. You locate ramps to exit illogical life loops. Best of all… you harness the inertia to proactively and positively unmute your voice.

This is the place where you turn the page and begin to rewrite your reality.

Incrementally revise your story. Consistently make small changes to ensure the new narrative is habitually coded in your brain. This is how your new story sticks. Writing swift, dramatic story arcs are nearly impossible to sustain over the long haul.

Toni the Teacher 🆘‿.*➴ Source ‿ Of ‿.*➴Support ❣️ INKubator: Artist In Residence. Piloting the Inaugural “Think Tank” Cohort. University of St. Francis. Joliet, IL/USA. Center for Innovation.