How does Joan Didion's 'we tell ourselves stories' relate to self - perception?
The statement 'we tell ourselves stories' by Joan Didion has a significant impact on self - perception. We tend to select certain events from our lives and weave them into a story that defines us. This story can either be empowering or limiting. For example, an artist who tells themselves a story of being a creative genius may have a very positive self - perception and be more likely to take risks in their work. However, if an artist tells a story of being a fraud, it will greatly affect their self - perception and may hold them back from reaching their full potential.
Our self - perception is often based on the stories we tell ourselves. If we constantly tell a story that we are not good enough, it will shape how we see ourselves. For example, if someone fails at a task and then tells themselves they are a failure in general, their self - perception becomes negative.
Joan Didion's idea that 'we tell ourselves stories' is deeply connected to self - perception. We create internal narratives about our qualities, abilities, and experiences. For instance, if we grew up in a difficult environment but told ourselves a story of resilience and survival, it can boost our self - perception. On the other hand, if we tell stories of victimhood all the time, it might lower our self - esteem and skew our self - perception negatively.