The Stories We Tell: How Your Perception Creates Your World

Have you ever noticed how two people can have the same experience and yet walk away with completely different interpretations of what happened? One may see only the disappointment of the experience, while the other focuses on the lesson.

I recently came across a quote that caught my attention:

“Life is not what you see, but what you’ve projected. Not what you’ve been told, but what you’ve decided. Not what you’ve experienced, but how you remember it. Not what you’ve forged, but what you’ve allowed. Not who’s appeared, but who you’ve summoned.”

In other words, life experiences aren’t a series of cold, hard facts. It’s how we interpret the experience and the stories we tell ourselves about that experience—stories about who we are, what we deserve, and what’s possible. The moment you realize this, everything changes—because you hold the pen. You get to decide what the story means and where it goes next.

Let’s explore how the stories you tell yourself shape your reality, and how you can begin to write new ones that empower you.

Projection: Seeing What You Expect

We like to believe we see life objectively, but the truth is, we’re all looking through a filter of expectations and beliefs. If you expect rejection, you will find it—even when it isn’t there. If you expect kindness, you will see it in the smallest gestures.

Our minds are wired to look for evidence that confirms what we already believe. This is why it can feel so hard to break old patterns: they’ve become the story through which we interpret everything.

Decision: Choosing Your Meaning

Events alone are neutral. It’s the meaning we assign to them that determines how they shape us. A job loss can be a story of personal failure—or an invitation to discover work that feels more aligned. A relationship ending can be a story of rejection—or an opening for deeper self-love.

You get to choose what things mean. And that choice becomes the narrative that guides your next steps.

Memory: How You Remember Shapes Who You Become

Memory is not a fixed recording; it’s a story we retell, often with edits and emphasis that reinforce how we see ourselves. The same moment can be remembered as proof that you’re not good enough—or as evidence that you were brave enough to try.  How you remember your past will either keep you stuck or set you free.

Allowing: What You Permit Persists

Sometimes, it’s not what we do but what we allow that defines our reality. We might allow toxic relationships, draining commitments, or outdated stories to occupy our lives simply because we’re afraid to let them go. When you stop allowing what doesn’t serve you, you create space for something better.

Summoning: The Power of Invitation

Who and what shows up in your life is often a reflection of your own beliefs about what you deserve. When you believe you’re worthy of respect, you naturally summon relationships that honor you.  When you believe in your creativity, you attract opportunities to express it. Your energy is an invitation. The stories you hold about yourself quietly summon what you experience next.

Life is not just what happens to you—it’s the stories you tell yourself about what happens.You are not powerless. You are the storyteller. You are the interpreter. You are the one who decides what everything means.

When you embrace this truth, you no longer have to wait for circumstances to change in order to feel free, worthy, or whole.

You can choose again—today, and every day.