“Unlucky in Love” Jennifer Aniston

While fiddling around on the internet, I came across a gossip column post that started like this:

“Jennifer Aniston has a new man in her life.  The unlucky in love actress, 41, is reportedly dating 30 Rock actor Jason Sudeikis.”

As I read this, I thought, is she “unlucky in love” or really freaking lucky in love?

It must be pretty terrible to lose your partner to someone else, particularly if that someone is Angelina Jolie.  That being said, since back in the mid-90’s, Aniston’s been linked to some really attractive and talented guys, from comic actors like Vince Vaughn, Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis, to actors known for their handsomeness, like Brad Pitt and Gerard Butler, to famous musicians like Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows.

I can’t help but think that if Jennifer Aniston were a man, the stories we would hear about her would be more akin to what we hear about Brad Pitt’s buddy, George Clooney.  Like Ms. Aniston, he’s a rich, successful movie star who dates a lot.  Unlike Ms. Aniston, no one would ever think that he’s been “unlucky-in-love.”

Seriously, I think many of us ladies out there would love to be as “unlucky-in-love” as Jennifer Aniston.

It’s All About the Spin

That’s the amazing thing about storytelling: the way the storyteller decides to characterize an event or a series of events is often more important than the event itself.

The gossip rags can tell you that Jennifer Aniston’s been unlucky in love, or that she’s a woman who seems to effortlessly become involved with interesting, attractive men.  Perhaps the former story sells more copies, but I’d so much rather read - and be the subject of - the latter.

The same thing applies to your own life.  Most of us have been through troubling times, difficult experiences, bad relationships, illnesses, sadness, grief, and so on.  But, since you’re reading this post, you’re still alive to tell about it.  The question is, what story do you want to tell?

Retelling Our Tales

I’m not saying that you should deny the difficult events of your life, but the fact that you survived them is also a wonderful story to tell - and way to tell it.

And that story - the story of the way you came through a difficult situation, found resources within or outside yourself, gleaned lessons from that experience about what you wanted or not going forward—is a story that can inspire you and others to heal and grow.

So, I’ll ask you again. Which way do you want to tell the stories of your life?  What past experiences do you want to heal and grow from by telling a new story where you acknowledge the awful truth and your amazing capacity to survive?  What parts of your story that have been weighed down by judgments like “unlucky in love” do you want to rewrite in order to acknowledge the wholeness of your choices and experiences?

If you’ve got a story to retell, start today! I invite you to tell me about it in the comments section below. I can’t wait to hear it!

Golda is a certified holistic health counselor and founder of Body Love Wellness. She counsels women and men throughout the country on how to get off the dieting roller coaster, give their bodies what they really crave, and love their bodies and themselves. Golda's counseling and activism work have been featured on CBS's The Early Show, ABC's Nightline and Time Out New York. For more support with healing your relationship with food and your body, get your free copy of Golda's Top Ten Tips For Divine Dining by clicking here.