This is a hard fought battle when the time comes. Why do we try to control the way that people see us? We want them to like us, to hold us in high regard. We want them to respect us, and think nice things about us. We struggle to reconcile that another might see us as difficult, as hurtful, harmful, imperfect, or even a villain. People hold endless stories about us. And so many of us work tirelessly at controlling that narrative. Present this way and....Show up that way and... But what happens when you realize you can’t control the story? What happens when someone feels differently about you than the way you’ve positioned yourself to be? The illusion of peace is that if you can convince a person to see you the way you want them to see you, you will have relief. But maybe relief comes when you make space for others to have their story without trying to control it. When others hold a story about you that is inconsistent with the story you hold about yourself it’s not your job to convince them otherwise. You can reflect on this story to see if there’s any important information and feedback in there for you, but sometimes people just need to hold a different story because it serves them. Do you struggle with this? Bonus points...if you do, in what ways was controlling the narrative something you saw in your family of origin? #mindfulmft #theoriginsofyou ___ Pre-order my book The Origins of You today! Link in my bio 🧡