One of my beliefs around sharing your personal story is that it is, as the photograph says, an act of love. Listening with empathy to someone else's story is also an act of love. Why? Because by sharing your authentic story you are not only expressing your humanity and allowing others to stand witness to it, you are creating a safe space for self-healing. Honouring your personal history in … [Read more...] about Telling your story is an act of love
Storytelling
The story of everyday joy
Many of us reserve joy for special occasions. We leave it in the back of the wardrobe, zipped up in a protective bag, and bring it out only when we have been given an excuse to wear it. Surely joy shouldn’t be something we set aside for births, weddings and parties? Let joy be unconfined! Let it be a frequent occurrence, and let us find it in the most mundane of events and experiences. I’m … [Read more...] about The story of everyday joy
Tell your story, make history
People say you can't change the past: it's history. But history is just a bunch of stories, and stories can be rewritten. Yes, you can change history - and I'm not talking about telling tales. I'm talking about letting go of a bunch of self-limiting inadequacy stories and revealing your authentic narrative in all its glory. The way I see it, our psychology is made up of lots of different parts, … [Read more...] about Tell your story, make history
“My story is boring….” Is that true?
In all my 30 years as a journalist, interviewer, reviewer and commentator, I have yet to come across a single human being who doesn't have a unique story to tell. However, they did not necessarily know that they had a story to tell. Why? There could be many reasons. There's a part of them - probably a protecting or controlling part - that is telling the story that they are dull and boring. This … [Read more...] about “My story is boring….” Is that true?
Anyone can embark on a hero’s journey
There's a reason why so many myths and fairytales, across all cultures and throughout history, have featured a hero's journey. This universal story speaks to us on a primal level, and its meaning is rooted deep in our collective unconscious. Many of the biggest box-office films of the past 40 years have been based on the hero's journey, from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings and, more recently, Harry … [Read more...] about Anyone can embark on a hero’s journey
There’s no such thing as an ordinary life
When I first started to share some of my personal stories, a part of me wondered if it was a little self-indulgent, that I might be perceived as a bit of a show-off or self-centred. Even though I always made sure that I made a wider point that would hopefully inspire my audience, the nagging voice remained. However, the more I allowed myself to be real and vulnerable, the better the response I … [Read more...] about There’s no such thing as an ordinary life