Human beings are natural storytellers. We are filled to the brim with stories, many of which make up who we think we are and what we think is possible for us in life. So it naturally follows that if we don’t take time to question our internal monologues, they can keep us tied to old beliefs and limit us from reaching our true potential. For instance, do you ever feel weighed down by your past and buried under layers of self-doubt, fear, and confusion?

When I first started apprenticing with don Miguel Ruiz, the author of The Four Agreements, I felt like a suitcase that was overstuffed with all the ideas of who I thought I should be. My entire inside world was crowded and heavy. I knew I wanted to lighten my load.

At first, I didn’t know how to change; I just knew I wanted to. As I learned to hold myself in a container of compassionate awareness and refrain from judging, I began to notice the impact my words had on my relationship with myself.