Author, speaker and founder of Upping Your Elvis, Chris Barez-Brown, says that the stories we tell ourselves shape our very being, and in just ten minutes a day we can be happier and more optimistic.

These may be stories about our past heroics or about lamentable tough luck or about a dream of who we will become.

Regardless of the story and the context, what we tell ourselves has enormous power. Many of our stories are well practised and rehearsed. They have been told many times to many people and our partners, families and dear, dear friends are polite enough not to draw attention to their repetition.

There are other stories however that might never see the light of day and yet offer profound impact on who we are and how we use our unique talents. These are the stories that we may not even be aware of and yet dictate so much of our daily reality. These stories live deeply within our subconscious.

This presents one hell of a challenge for us, as what...