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The Death of Your Old Story

Audio Version

Every lifetime has its ups and downs, peaks and valleys, bursts of activity, lulls, and stagnation; moments of stillness, reflection, and regret; gratitude and love; but, ultimately, it all comes to an end. All stories, whether about a forest, a community, a nation or empire, a civilization, a religion, or a species, come to an end. Subtlety, energy, the building blocks for what comes next, fragmented timelines, and relics of the past are what endure throughout the ages.

Each of us is endowed with unique capabilities as we travel the winding path of discovery, wisdom, meaning, and making sense of this single lifetime. We can choose to free our minds of relics, fragmentation, and stagnant energies.

Life is a series of events that define thematic pivots and major plot points. You could be grieving the loss of a loved one, lying in bed after a long day at work, or driving home in the rain after watching a thought-provoking film. A revelation emerges, your eyes widen, your face relaxes, and clarity settles into your consciousness. You’ve realized something both beautiful and powerful.

Perhaps you’ve just noticed yourself complaining about the same old, mundane things, or you’ve suddenly felt a deep sense of defeat and hopelessness in making any lasting changes in your life. Perhaps you’re feeling inspired to let go of an old story. You’re not sure what this feeling is, but in the silence, you notice that it takes hold and grows steadily in your body. You might actually be serious this time.

The death of the old self brings great liberation. You’ve undoubtedly experienced many such moments in your life, but they likely went unnoticed. Given enough time, even minor changes can have a significant long-term impact. In contrast, the most significant changes may last only a moment before returning to normalcy.

So, do you fear death? Why?

If there is one thing that life here makes abundantly clear to us, it is the profound, transitional period at the end of the sentence; death is our constant companion. But do we appreciate and celebrate the fleeting nature of things, or do we resist, ignore, defer, and turn away?

The death of a story we’ve carried with us should be celebrated. This existential ability is one of our innate superpowers. We can only change, learn from, and reframe our experiences at any time, regardless of circumstance or the desires of others. No one walks, talks, thinks, and blinks like we do. Nobody has stumbled, failed, and recovered in the same way that we have. Nobody truly understands or appreciates our shame, suffering, or struggles. When we try to tell someone, what they hear is not the same as what we said, assuming they listen at all.

Remember the last time someone shared an intimate, private story with you? Were you present, focused, and open? Did their words pique your interest, causing a flood of thoughts? Were you impatient, waiting for them to stop talking so you could tell them what was wrong and how to fix it? We all have different influences and impressions that shape our lives, but we’re all working from the same source material. Have compassion for them and for yourself.

Who are you, and what exactly do you want?

Let the rest die. You need that space for the new, current you.

Solvitur ambulando