Storying a more meaningful life (and a tribute to Juliet Bruce)
Stories teach. Stories heal. Stories transform. Working with stories, both ours and others, can help us find meaning and live a more […]
Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Storytelling
Last week, during an informal presentation I gave on storytelling, a man asked me a fabulous question: ”I can tell that you’re […]
Saying “yes/and” to dementia.
Saying “joy” and “dementia” in one sentence could sound like an oxymoron. Like many, I have a fear that I might someday […]
Is Your Story Fact or Fiction?
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A little retreat from the heat
Some like it hot. I do not. Or at least, not anymore. When I was a kid, swimming was my passion. […]
What’s your legacy (story)?
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What community do you dream of?
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What about your work do you love, love, love…
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What will you stand for?
What do you stand for? Isn’t it time to get a little bolder, to speak up for the truths you hold […]
Weaving community–through stories
Last week, I had the privilege of once again participating in a Story Bridge event in Seattle. A very diverse group came […]
Create a world. In six words.
Remember when you were in grade school and you returned from your summer break, knowing that your new teacher would ask you, […]
When “I” Becomes “We:” Letting our stories connect us
I’m looking forward to helping a new friend work on a grant application for his nonprofit. He does critically important work inspiring […]
When concise can cripple
Get to the point In my business writing class in B-school, I learned to be succinct, concise and make my point quickly. […]
When a Story Becomes a Game-Changer
If you ever needed proof of the power of story to set a direction for an industry, take a look at The […]
8 reasons not to tell stories (a warning for consultants and trainers.)
“Storytelling is dangerous.” I wrote this in my chapter in Sakile Camara’s book for trainers Communication Training and Development (Kendall Hunt Publishers, 2017) that […]
Four Words to Help You Bridge Divides
Have you noticed how the fault lines between our values in the United States are becoming chasms? The distances separating conservatives […]
Breaking the Spell
Is our country under a spell? After the last presidential debate, I felt the need to wash away a residual toxicity, so I […]
“Tell Me Your Story.” How to Elicit GREAT Stories From Your Clients (and Friends)
Many years ago, I was sitting in a doctor’s private office, waiting to meet a holistic practitioner who had been highly recommended […]
Isn’t it time to share your story?
Your story matters. Or more accurately, your stories. I know because I’ve been working on a project this summer, helping dozens of nurses […]
Don’t create your legacy – claim it
Near the end of the movie Schindler’s List, there’s a gut-wrenching moment when the Jews who’ve been kept alive by Oskar Schindler […]
Learning to love the in-between
A story has a beginning, middle and end. But in the roadmap for our life’s stories, how do you describe the space […]
Living, for a moment, in the small stories
Last month, I described a path towards finding your big story, the narrative you can use to make your career or business […]
Five questions about your bio your clients are secretly asking
Your bio isn’t your resumé. Its purpose is to help people decide whether they want to connect with you. Let it sing with your […]
Finding the magic in the middle of your story
Stories have beginning, middles, and ends. Last week, we talked about exploring the beginning of your story, the Origin Story. This week […]
How your Origin Story reveals the art in your life
How many of us have secretly felt, from time to time, like we were frauds in our professions? In 1978, Dr. Pauline […]
Time for tea and reflection
Welcome to November, the time of long nights and cold rain in the Northwest. Our glorious Indian Summer, which I celebrated in […]
How to write about yourself when the future is foggy
Writing about one's self when you're in the midst of re-invention can be daunting. But with every step, the path gets clearer. "We make the road by walking."
The Résumé’s not dead – just boring (or why you need more story in your bio!)
Sure, we all need to have a résumé. But a bio can be a lot more interesting to read - especially if you know how to bring it together with the power of story!
Find Your Best Frame
Last week, I gave a workshop on Strategic Storytelling at a conference of fundraisers. Strategic storytelling is the vivid use of stories […]
Embrace Your Creative Edge: Lessons from Ann Randolph
Last week, I attended a writing/performance workshop conducted by the inimitable actress Ann Randolph – known for her award winning solo performances in Loveland and Squeeze Box. Here are some take-aways!
How a Beloved Institution is Re-storying Itself
A library in the Netherlands has reinvented and restoried itself - with some amazing results.
The Perils of Having a Vision
Edward S. Curtis was a visionary. He was also obsessed. He created a monumental legacy at great personal cost. And so it is with visions - engage at your own marvelous risk.
Finding the bigger story
Are you feeling tired of hearing all the government-bashing by the punditry? Isn't it time to create some bigger more empowering stories about the institutions and causes we care about?
When Nurses Speak
Last week, with a partner, I guided 6 nurses to be able to share their stories on stage. The group represented 180 years of nursing experience. Add six stories and you had one big miracle. As a participant with more than thirty years experience wrote after the experience: “The transformation was the highlight of my nursing career.” It doesn't get better than that!
Doodling about leadership with Lynda Barry
Lynda Barry doesn’t write or draw about leadership. She’s an award-winning cartoonist, known for her comic strip “Ernie Pook’s Comeek.” Yet in her recent graphic book Syllabus, she shows us how she led her students on a path of discovery - into the world of creativity and seeing - qualities all leaders need.
When Nurses + Stories = Tranformation
Nurses are taught to listen. But in a profession so key to our health care system, they need to speak out as well - and tell their stories. That's what Nurses Speak is all about.
Find the courage in your unique legend
When life feels particularly challenging, you might be experiencing the middle, turbulent phase of an extraordinary, legendary journey. Your legend is waiting for you to claim it, and to create it as you live it.
Let Hollywood add some sizzle to your stories
Do you hear "Lights! Camera! Action!” at your business presentations? Maybe not. But do you think about “Conflict! Emotion! Transformation?” According to screenwriter and story consultant Michael Hauge, those elements can make your business stories start to rock. Join us as we review Michael's ten components of story success.
How to create your legend (when your name isn’t Hilton)
The word legend is often associated with celebrities, notorious fame-seekers and dead heroes. But there's a new legend: someone who follows an authentic path, courageously following the call s/he knows to be true. You, too, can be such a legend...if you claim it.
Use Your Story to Find Your Tribe
My delightful colleague and operations guru Lauren Lizardo took a big risk last year and told a candid story about being...bald. Out of the story and her willingness to stop hiding came new connections, new work, and a new tribe. And that's how I met her! Her story should be inspiration to any of us who, as professionals wonder...what if I shared my real story?
How to Get Back in the Saddle When You’ve Been Thrown Off
Have you ever found yourself in the sand after being bucked out of the saddle by a particularly hard life lesson? We can’t avoid the hard bumps that come with any heroic journey. But we still need to dust ourselves off and get back on.
