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Writer's pictureShelly Snow Pordea

I used to think our stories are what define us.



I've been working on writing projects both big and small, fun and personal, professional and playful. (And various, delightful combinations of each!)


Nearly two years ago when I started my coaching and writing business, I really honed in on the power of story. I could clearly see how stories–in every area of life–were the driving force behind society. Look at today's interactions.


What stories do you believe, tell, and act upon?


I will not ask you to choose a political affiliation, I will simply assume that you likely relate to one. Perhaps you do not, and fit into that strange non-zone many of us have attempted to live in for years,


But even that is because we can tend to believe the story we are telling ourselves more than what we are being told. No matter which side it comes from.


That's why story is so powerful, and it's why I feel so passionately about helping people tell a story that betters the world. But if our personal narrative doesn't define us, then what's the point?


In my quest, I have come to see that we are not simply the story we live, we reside in the space of the one experiencing it. Maybe that's semantics to you, but to me, it's everything. The power of your story is not as simple as believing it matters–even though it does. The power lies in knowing we are experiencing life this way for a purpose.


Countless pieces of my life have been wrapped up in things that have happened to me. Parts of my journey so painful, they are hushed away in a room of self-doubt, shame, and fear. And yet, these are fragments that produce the story of my life.


What if I was no longer bound to the thought that my story is WHO I am?


What if it's all about what I do with the knowledge gained from my experiences? I used to think that our stories are what define us. But I now see they are simply tools to inform us. This story informs our work, our relationships, and at best, the greater good.


So, what information are you destined to share?

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paulamdavis
Aug 28, 2022

Thank heavens our stories don‘t define us! Since you’re a Brene Brown fan, I’ll share this quote……“The opposite of recognizing that we’re feeling something is denying our emotions. The opposite of being curious is disengaging. When we deny our stories and disengage from tough emotions, they don’t go away; instead, they own us, they define us. Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending—to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, Yes. This is what happened. This is my truth. And I will choose how this story ends.”

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