Everyone has a story. We all have moments we’re proud of and moments we wish had gone differently. Sometimes, the way we tell ourselves those stories can either lift us up or hold us back.
The good news? You can choose to see your story in a way that helps you grow instead of keeping you stuck.
Why Your Story Matters for The 3 Life Questions
- Living Authentically — When you own your full story—the good and the hard—you live more honestly.
- Building Meaningful Relationships — Being real about your journey gives others the freedom to open up too, leading to better connections.
- Making the World Better — Sharing your lessons, both positive and negative, will inspire others.
How to Reframe Your Story: Stop. Look. Go!
Br. David Steindl-Rast and his colleagues at A Network for Grateful Living (https://grateful.org) recommend a simple yet powerful formula for (re)framing life’s experiences: Stop. Look. Go!
- Stop — Several times a day, pause and become present to the moment, regardless of what’s happening.
- Look — Expand your awareness of the world around you. Pay close attention and ask yourself: What is the gift, opportunity, or lesson here?
- Go! — Do something! Respond (not react) to life with purpose and courage, based on what you’ve observed or learned.
Using “Stop. Look. Go!” helps cultivate gratefulness, even in tough situation. It helps reframe your story from one of struggle to one of growth and strength.
My Own Experience with Stop. Look. Go!:
Stop. Look. Go! allowed me to reframe a long history of negativity around my physical condition – something I can trace back to several incidents of body shaming I endured in middle school. By applying Stop. Look. Go! to that period of my life, I finally saw the incredible opportunities that resulted from the bullying. Because I wanted to be away from the mindset that led to the bullying, I decided to attend college far from home, which in turn led to lifelong friendships, experiences, and opportunities that profoundly and positively shaped my life. Yet it was only when I applied Stop. Look. Go! that I was able to see the lessons, gifts, and opportunities that resulted from experiences I had only viewed in a negative light. I actually found myself saying “thank you” to my body for all it endured and all it opened up for me.
Why It’s Worth It
When you reframe your story, you stop being trapped or defined by your past. You start to see yourself as someone who keeps growing, no matter what happens. That’s a powerful way to live, and can uncover hidden opportunities to answer “Yes!” to The 3 Life Questions.
Your Challenge This Week:
Think of one tough moment from your past. Practice “Stop. Look. Go!” with it. What lesson, gift, or opportunity can you find in that experience?