💫You are the meaning maker in your life

It was one of those pivotal moments that changed the way I viewed myself in the world.

I was attending a training workshop which was being run by another life coach and he said something which has stuck with me ever since.

He said 'You are the meaning maker in your life'. I'd heard and even taught that concept before, but not in that way and it struck me as being such a simple, yet clever way of describing that everything which happens 'to us' gives us an opportunity to question how we view it.

We all have times in our lives when 'shit happens'

Things don't go as planned. But that day I really got it - it's up to me what I make events, circumstances, happenings in my life mean.

For example say someone you know ignores you and you think to yourself 'that means they don't like me', but actually it could mean they literally didn't see you.

The vibration of the stairs...

My story goes like this I had just bought a townhouse which I loved but after only a short time there, I experienced my neighbour coming home at 2.30am clomping up the stairs in high heels. Our units and therefore our stairs were attached at the wall near my bedroom and hers clearly weren't carpeted. It sounded like a herd of elephants.

This happened a second night so I decided to speak to her (she'd not long moved in), in fact I hadn't even met them yet!

So I was a little hesitant to say the least to have our first conversation come across as a complaint.

Anyway, when I heard her going out I went onto the adjoining decks and said a cherry hello only to be met by silence. She had her back to me, so I tried again a little louder this time, still no acknowledgment and my immediate throught was 'oh no, this is worse than I thought, she's not even speaking to me!

Then she turned around and I noticed she had her ear buds in - therefore couldn't hear me.

Classic meaning maker assumptions going on. To cut a long story short the outcome ended up really well, first she was very apologetic and then her landlord offered to carpet the stairs.

That experience reminded me to be open to what situations might mean and also to use my next favourite life coach hack which is to say 'that's good because....' and finish the sentence whenever I bump up against something which feels unconfortable.

I'll write more aobut 'that's good next week so stay tuned. That little 3 word beginner has saved my life on may occasions (not literally)!

💫That's Good - Part 1

When things are going 'bad' just say 'that's good' but remember to add the third and crucial word 'because...'. Then complete the sentence. Your brain will be tasked with finding something good that you can focus your attention on.

We'll be writing about this gem next week so stay tuned.