Changing Perspectives: Rewrite the Story You Tell Yourself

Earlyn Sharpe
Aug 5
3 min read

Updated: Aug 22

Author: Earlyn Sharpe, M.A.

Rewriting Your Story — Rewrite Your Story

The stories we tell ourselves shape the lives we live. If you’ve been carrying a story of not-enoughness, betrayal, or shame, you may be living out of a script that no longer serves you. Perspective has the power to rewrite the entire narrative.

Changing perspectives doesn’t mean denying the pain; it means choosing to frame it differently. Instead of ‘I was broken,’ you might say, ‘I was rebuilt.’ Instead of ‘I failed,’ you might say, ‘I was redirected.’

Have you ever considered how the narratives we construct about our experiences influence our perception of the world—and ourselves? The mind has a unique ability to turn life’s events into stories, and over time, we often forget these are just stories, not absolute truths. We accept them as given, even when they are nothing more than interpretations. Interpretations. And when those interpretations are negative, they hold us back.

Perspective Is Powerful

Perspective can make or break our lives. Two people can live through the same experience and come away with two completely different lessons, emotions, and outcomes. Why? Because the meaning we ascribe determines our experience. The trouble is, when we tell ourselves the same stories over and over again about failure, rejection, or inadequacy, we subconsciously sabotage our ability to step into growth and freedom.

Self-limiting Stories

Think back to a time when you tried something new, and it didn’t go the way you wanted. Rather than seeing it as feedback, you probably told yourself, ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘I’m not cut out for this’. With each repetition of these messages, a self-limiting belief forms in the background, quietly chipping away at your self-confidence: ‘Don’t try again, you’ll only fail.’

The reality is, what you tell yourself during those moments is much more powerful than the actual event.

The Good News: You Can Rewrite Your Story

The great news is, you have the power to rewrite your script. You can pause, question the old narrative, and ask yourself: ‘Is this story serving me or harming me?’ When you take a step back to reframe an experience, you make room for self-compassion. You stop saying ‘I failed’ and start saying ‘I learned’. You stop saying ‘I’m not enough’ and start saying ‘I’m growing’. This isn’t about toxic positivity—it’s about telling the truth in a way that liberates rather than confines.

Practice Time: Rewriting Your Narrative

I challenge you this week to pay attention to one story you’re telling yourself on repeat. Write it down. Then ask yourself, ‘Is this fact, or is this interpretation?’ Finally, rewrite the story with self-compassion and growth in mind. E.g. Instead of: ‘I always mess things up.’ Say: ‘I’m still learning and with each step I become stronger.’

Tiny rewrites over time create a massive transformation. Change the story, and you change the outcome.

Your Story Isn’t Fixed, It’s Flexible

Rewriting your story doesn’t mean denying your past; it means reclaiming your future. The work begins with a new perspective. Transformation doesn’t start with a new set of circumstances. It begins with a new way of seeing the old ones.

Reflection: What old story is it time for you to rewrite in order to walk into your next chapter