Dr Robert Anthony: What's The Story You're Telling About Yourself?

Stories are a sequence of thoughts that we convince ourselves are real. A story may be about the past, the present or the future. It may be about things we should do, what can be, what they could do, or what they are.

Stories are untested, uninvestigated theories or assumptions that tell us what things mean. The problem is we don't seem to realize most of our stories are just assumptions.

I have never experienced a stressful feeling that wasn't caused by attaching to an untrue thought or story.

Rather than understand the original cause, we try to change our stressful feelings by looking outside of ourselves. It is easy to get swept away by some overwhelming feeling so it is helpful to remember that any stressful feeling is like a compassionate messenger that says - "you are caught up in your story".

Depression, pain, fear, doubt and worry are gifts that say "take a look at what you are thinking right now. You're living in a story that is not true for you. When we get caught in the dream or the illusion, we try to alter and manipulate the stressful feeling rather than deal with the thought behind it. That's why I say that any negative emotion is an alarm clock that is designed to wake you up to the fact that there's a thought that you may want to investigate and get rid of. Inquiry and investigation of any thought that is untrue will always lead you back to happiness and who you really are.

If you put your hand in a fire does anyone have to tell you to move it? Do you have to decide? No! When your hand starts to burn, it moves. You don't have to direct it. The hand moves itself. In the same way, once you understand through inquiry and investigation of any thought or story that is untrue and realize it is causing you
suffering, you will move away from it.

It is simple logic. Before the thought you were not suffering. With the thought you are suffering. When you recognize the thought isn't true, you will go back to not suffering and return to happiness.

Self inquiry is the way to end all suffering and to experience peace, even in a world of apparent chaos. Above all else, self inquiry is about realizing that all the answers you will ever need are inside of you and are always available to you if you are willing to give up your story.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony