We are always with ourselves, so it’s natural to view our lives from the first person perspective, as the main character. This is an egocentric position, leading us to see the world as happening to us, or for us. If we believe the narrative that we generate from this view, we become easily irritated when other characters don’t fit into the plot.
To fully understand our experiences, we need to step back and observe our lives from the audience, as if it were playing on screen. From there we have a better perspective on how all of the characters relate, their influence on each other and the natural world. This is an important technique to hold ourselves accountable for the stories we tell. To optimize well-being, our stories must seek the truth, which cannot be found in the point of view of a single person, even if that person is ‘I’.
Be well.