A Metaphor Has The Power To Transform Your Life
Is life like a box of chocolates or a roller coaster? Maybe life is like a tree or a tight-rope walk. Perhaps you see life like a dance or a report card. Metaphors don’t just affect us as individuals, they affect our community and our world as well. The metaphors you choose for your personal relationship or your work will affect how you view them and how you relate to others. By selecting appropriate and empowering metaphors you will positively affect your life, your work and your relationships.
Imagine if Forest Gump’s mother told him life was like a den of snakes! He would perceive all circumstances and people in a different light. Others would also perceive and relate to him differently. Basicly, the movie would look a lot different and have a much different ending I’m thinking.
What is Your Life Metaphor?
You can help to shape your life by identifying what metaphor you currently have for life , work or relationships and then evaluate if your metaphor is negatively or positively influencing you. You have control over your “movie” and what the ending will look like!
I bet if you felt like life is like a tight-rope walk that changing your metaphor to “life is like bouncing on a trampoline” you would experience some benefits. Walking a tight rope all the time would make one weary and tired from always having to perform, strive for perfection and worst case scenario, make a mistake(fall off)! Whereas if you pictured life like a bounce on a trampoline you might feel as if Life’s got your back. You might believe that you will never fall hard enough that you can’t get back up. Living life this way would probably make living a lot more fun and adventurous because every decision or opportunity may bring you to higher heights, not to mention being able to give others double bounces to help out.
In Romantic Relationships
Consider calling your spouse “my love” or “my better half” versus “this jerk I’m with.” You will notice instantly how your choice of descriptive words dramatically influences how you feel about the person!
What Area Of Your Life Impacts You The Most?
Maybe you would like to explore your metaphor for learning, children, your parents or your business. Exploring them allows you to create new choices for your life. If admitting mistakes is “like pulling teeth” you might want to re-evaluate that one!
One Caution: Choose metaphors for each different area of life. You wouldn’t want to apply a metaphor you have for work to your family. Your family might not appreciate that very much! Likewise, the metaphor you choose for your romantic relationship you may not work so well if you apply it to your work life.
Take control of your metaphors and start creating a new world for yourself. Start by asking yourself, “What is Life.” Write a list of everything that comes to mind and then ask yourself what each means to you.. All metaphors have their advantages and disadvantages. What are yours? What new metaphors do you want to adopt in order to feel more happy and free?
Comments
I’ve always had quotes that remind me of what I think my life is like…I love this post. I love the point about having different one for each area of life 🙂
Hi Ruby,
Having a different metaphor for each area of your life is an interesting thought isn’t it. Marriage could be like a merry-go-round or a tasty meal. Career could be likened to a clown who has too many balls to juggle or like a dance. I’m thankful we have the choice what metaphor we will apply to our lives. Amy
This is so true. Your perception really is your reality! Great post Amy 😉
Thanks Daveda! Just goes to show that if we don’t like our reality we have the power to change it! Have a great day, Amy
Amy- So good– It is like Ralph Waldo Emerson and other transcendentalists, and also like New thought theory of the early 1900’s and Norman Vincent Peale but said so currently and directly. I especially liked the example of changing how one thinks of the spouse and using different terms– Today I learned of the bracelets you wear on one arm for 21 days if you do not utter a criticism each day- but if you do- the you put it on the other arm and start over until you have 21 days of changing the way you talk and think– good habit skill. Better even to exchange negatives for positives so that one can create a positive life for oneself with their brains and actions– co-creating with what is given– but this is also good– just to start with noticing how hard it is never to say a critical thing. Am going to try this too for this month. A lot of these ideas are feed back to me by my clients when they say– you gave me a new perspective– this is the positive perspective I bring– or they say I hear your voice when I am having trouble and again what they are referring to is – the positive choice they have the opportunity of making or the habit way that will bring them to a negative feeling place.
Hi Jess!
I’m so glad you liked this one. Taking time to realize the habits we have (that we don’t want or are only hindering us) really helps us gain control to change them. Become aware, then take action to replace the old with the new. Love you, Amy