A very simple and powerful thought exercise:

Think of a situation you’re in that feels challenging, or maybe is wrought with feeling or tension, or has somehow captured your emotional and mental energies. Perhaps it’s tough conversation, a tough decision, a lot happening, or feeling into what to do next. As you look at what’s in front of you, with what’s going on, look through the situation a bit and ask yourself:

“How would you like this story to end?”

See what your heart has to say in response. Then, give yourself time to steep in the imagination-space of watching that ending unfold.

Ali Schultz

This works retrospectively as well. Imagine you are re-telling a story that was challenging. How would you have liked that story to end?

Pair this with how to escalate or de-escalate a conflict and taking your “self” out of it.

You don’t have control over how the story will actually end, of course, but you do have control over your part in it.

🗒 The above was shared with me by a colleague friend and originally from Ali Schultz’s writing on Reboot.io