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Work Life Play: Hosted by Aaron McHugh

The Narrative I Tell Myself Every Day Episode #78

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Rob Bell says in his new book, How to Be Here, “We all have a blinking line, a cursor. Your blinking line is whatever sits in front of you waiting to be brought into existence”.

The narrative I tell myself everyday frames my Work Life Play. Every morning the tapes in my head begin to play. I used to think somebody else was responsible for those audio files. My High School principal told me once, “You’ll never amount to anything”. To be fair, I had just dumped dish soap in the biology lab fish tanks and suds overflowed to the top with dead fish. It was TV camera worthy.

For a time, I thought he might be right. The audio reel “You’ll never amount to anything” began outlining a story that I started living out. I smoked a lot of pot, skipped classes and started looking into trade school instead of college.

Miraculously, I got accepted to a small liberal arts college. I shed the “you suck” narrative, but traded it in on “get some sh*t done” version that lasted a few decades.

Click to Listen The Narrative I Tell Myself Every day

Mount Huron Trailhead
Mount Huron Trailhead

Get some sh*t done

Here is a sound byte that I told myself everyday, “You better get some sh*t done today. You know there is never enough time in a day. Don’t fail. Don’t ever be broke ($). Always rely on your gifting whenever possible. When in doubt give a speech. There are not enough people making the world a better place, so you better do everything you can because they won’t. It’s up to you.”

It sounds exhausting doesn’t it?

The new narrative I tell myself today

Here is new story, new narrative, new framework that my blinking line is saying…

I believe in a good God that I don’t fully comprehend. I surrender the need to have an answer to why things happen in life. I believe that my life is being co-authored. It’s never predetermined, its always fluid. This is a mythical story where possibility, imagination, creativity, passion, grace and do-overs prevail.

I believe who I become is more important than what I accomplish. I am going to swing for the fence today and go for it. I refuse to play small. I am the Captain of My Soul.  

I want to live a life soaked in abundance, decisiveness, adventure, emotional fitness, passion, relational intimacy, vulnerability, authenticity, risk, play, self-care, wholeheartedness, restfulness, love, forgiveness, sustainability, excitement, gratitude and patience.

I believe I have all of the permission I need to do my work in the world. I choose to pick myself and not wait to be picked or discovered. I believe I am worth betting on. When in doubt I choose love. 

Ready. Set. Go.

What story are you telling yourself?

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Honorable Work and The Short Bus Episode #77 Listen now

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