The Stories That Shape Our Steps

Resistance rarely travels alone.

When we slow down enough to notice what resists our movement, we often discover that it’s not just habit pushing back. It’s narrative. A story we’ve been living from, often for so long that we no longer recognize it as a story at all.

Stories are powerful because they feel true before they are examined.

They form quietly, shaped by experience, success, disappointment, affirmation, and loss. Over time, they begin to explain the world for us. They tell us what’s safe, what’s risky, what’s worth pursuing, and what’s better left alone.

Most of us don’t consciously choose these stories.
We inherit them.
We absorb them.
We survive by them.

And then, one day, direction changes.

When that happens, the stories we’ve relied on begin to speak up. Not because they’re evil or wrong, but because they were built for a different season. What once protected us may now be limiting us. What once made sense may now feel constricting.

This is where the journey becomes more honest.

Resistance asks what is pulling us back.
Story asks why.

We begin to hear the familiar refrains beneath our choices.

Don’t disappoint people.
Stay in control.
If you slow down, you’ll fall behind.
You’re only as valuable as what you produce.
This is just the way you are.

These stories don’t usually shout. They whisper. They sound reasonable. They present themselves as wisdom, even when they’re quietly shaping us through fear.

And here’s the challenging part.

Stories don’t dissolve simply because we notice them.

Awareness helps us name the story, but it doesn’t automatically rewrite it. Old narratives are resilient. They’ve been reinforced by years of repetition. They’ve been rewarded by outcomes that once worked. They’ve helped us cope.

So when direction invites us forward, story often tightens its grip.

Not because it hates growth.
But because it fears loss.

Loss of certainty.
Loss of approval.
Loss of identity.

This is why formation can feel unsettling even when it’s good. We’re not just changing behaviors. We’re questioning assumptions. We’re gently confronting the internal explanations that have governed our choices.

And that takes courage.

The work here is not to immediately replace old stories with better ones. That temptation leads us back into performance. Instead, the work is to listen carefully, without judgment, to the stories that surface when we feel pulled off course.

What do they promise?
What do they protect?
What do they fear?

Stories reveal what we trust.

And that leads us to a deeper tension.

If my steps are shaped by stories I didn’t consciously choose, how do I begin to live from a different one? How do I move forward without simply swapping one controlling narrative for another?

That question deserves patience.

In the reflections ahead, we’ll begin to explore how new stories aren’t forced into place. They’re practiced. They’re lived. They’re formed through small, faithful movements that slowly reshape what we trust.

For now, listen to the stories that surface when resistance appears. They’re not your enemy. They’re your invitation to deeper awareness.

Continuing on the journey with you,
–Dr. Rich