The Art of Storytelling: What's Your Purpose?
Everyone has a story to tell. A story waiting to be discovered and heard – or read.
A story that can change the world. So, naturally, when it comes to telling your story, you want to make sure that you can reach out your audience and inspire them to improve their lives as a result. The many reasons why you may want to tell your story – assuming you are not a born writer who tells stories for a living – are complex and touch an emotional depth that most people are trying to hide in their everyday lives.
Whether you want to share a painful experience to warn the younger generation of the risks of a specific choice, or whether you are desperate to introduce your friends to some of the most beautiful landscapes of the world, the art of telling your story is about opening up and exposing your true feelings and experiences. It is daunting and nerve-wracking, to say the least. But, you can find comfort in the process because you know that you’re making a point, you know that you want others to learn a valuable lesson at the end of the story. And if putting your heart out there is the price to pay to inspire people, then so be it. You’ve got a story to tell, and you know it has the potential to make someone’s life better. So let us see your storytelling material.
What is the purpose of telling your story?
Why do we share a story with a friend? Why do we need to expose a personal experience? There are many reasons why you might feel that it is now time to open up and tell your story. Stand Up for Passion, the ordinary alternative to TEDx that lets people share their struggles and achievements counts up to 10 different reasons why someone might want to tell their story. Traumatic experiences, for instance, are shared to encourage healing. You stop carrying your trauma like a silent burden and choose to talk about it, destroying its damaging nature with every word you tell. Sometimes the story isn’t the most critical element. Sometimes, it’s about bonding with a community of people who understand your experience and recognize themselves in your tale. Ultimately, you tell a story to make a change, for yourself or for others.
Teaching the art of self-growth
If you’re a lifestyle blogger, or you follow a blog, you probably know that one of the most inspiring phenomena about storytelling is that it can inspire you to take care about yourself. Bloggers, lifestyle influencers, and social media figures have a much more significant role that we care to admit. They can help millions of readers to take a step back out of their busy lives and focus on simple feel-good priorities. Stories that share the incredible transformations one felt after switching to a healthy diet that finally eliminates the afternoon slump are inspiring to new generations. In an era where everything is fast-paced, it’s always beneficial to remind ourselves that we need to slow down to take care of ourselves. Storytelling, and especially sharing the impact of simple changes, is a powerful tool in the well-being of Millennials, from learning to take care to learning to care too.
An inspiring journey through a place
Stories that make you want to help others and to make the world a better place are not rare. Everybody knows the likes of Faith in Humanity articles. But it can be difficult to follow the full journey of a charitable act. How about taking a look at No Birds Bash for a road trip along the route of giving, generosity, and driving along the Variety Bash in Australia to raise money for children in need? Car rental owners, Arnold and Dirk, decided to help raise funds for charity and they tell their own story with no filter. It’s precisely through the mixture of tiredness, determination, wonderful experiences, and unforgettable memories that their story becomes an inspiration for many.
A journey of self-improvement
Do you feel happy in your skin? Most people don’t, so it’s fair to say that if you’re not 100% comfortable, you’re not the only one to feel this way. For many young women – and more and more young men too – losing weight is not just a journey back to health, it’s a journey to social acceptation. If you want to fit in, you need to be slim – or at least, it’s how many people perceive their weight issues. As a result, unhappiness and low self-esteem are common complaints that seem only to go away when you get your weight under control. The problem is that too many people expect overnight results. It takes a powerful voice to remind them that taming their bodies and lifestyle habits is a journey of self-discovery and freedom. This is precisely the story of Becky, who lost 100 pounds through her weight loss adventure. But, as she warns the readers: It was a journey of trials and errors. The key is, just like Becky did, not to give up.
Embracing your passions
The digital revolution has enabled many creative individuals to make their dream come true. Artists, while many continue to struggle to make a living, have benefited from the ability to set up an online shop. However, too many young people need to be reminded that an artistic profession takes time to develop. It’s only through the stories of real artists that difficulties such as unemployment and self-doubts are everyday realities. It’s precisely why it’s so important to know about the dark times so that, people in the same situations, don’t lose faith in their skills.
Winning the battle against your demons
Fast-paced society means more stress, more anxiety disorders and more unmovable obstacles to deal with. For anybody coping with anxiety, there is nothing more reassuring than hearing the story of someone who’s learned how to manage their attacks. Mental health can be handicapping at the worst of times, and embarrassing too. It’s about finding the strength to take back control of your life.
In the end, the perfect storytelling material differs for everyone. Whether you help young people to want to do good in the world or whether you inspire those who are worried about their weight to learn to love themselves and understand their urges, your story has the power to change lives. Keep it authentic and honest, and you ’ll be amazed by the positive responses.
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This is a contributed article written for WhimMagazine.com