I have been thinking recently about the power stories have in our lives. When you look, stories are everywhere; music, film, books are obvious ones, but marketing, advertising, business brands, social media… even conversations are a form of story.
“What’s new?”
“How have you been?”
“What are you up to tonight?
… Tell me your story.
It’s interesting to think of the story we tell ourselves though. How we make sense of the world. The filter we see things through.
Are we essentially the author and main protagonist in our own ‘life story’?
Personally I find that to be an empowering thought. If I was writing this story – my story – would I have written today? What would I write for tomorrow? If the answer is “no” too many days in a row then perhaps it’s time to start writing a new chapter. The best stories have ups and downs; relatable, vulnerable, human characters; but ultimately characters to take action, who make a decision.
It’s also reassuring in the dips of life that the ‘Hero’s Journey’ always requires the hero to go through the ordeals before they are able to gain the reward.
Perhaps what I’m saying is that every now and then it’s worth stopping. Taking a moment and asking: “How’s my story going?”.
A Modern Renaissance Man 