On this episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain gets real with us about our common fears and apprehensions of telling our stories. Rain talks about why telling "the story that scares you" is so crucial to your development as a storyteller AND a person, and how it can benefit others, too!
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There’s a part of your story that you’re scared to tell.
We all have them.
It could be a traumatic experience that you don’t want to bring up publicly, it could be something you’re embarrassed about, or it could just be something you don’t want to be known for.
After all, you’re so much more than your worst moments, right?
You want to be known for your great qualities!
But hear me out.
Stories are about overcoming obstacles. They’re about redemption. They’re about winning against all odds.
Those parts of the story are part of the odds stacked against you!
Anyone else couldn’t have survived and thrived through that experience like you did!
Here are three things you should know about that part of your story you’re scared to tell:
It’s liberating. You’ve been carrying around that weight of that experience for a long time. Even having to think about not talking about it means it’s occupying too much of your brain space. You need to let it go. And when you tell the story, that’s exactly what happens. It’s freeing.
That part of your story is probably the part that people need to hear the most. People relate to each other through shared struggles. That creates empathy. And empathy creates trust. So if you show people how you worked through that struggle (or are currently working through it), they will see a way that they can work through their own struggles and start to believe in themselves. It’s a ripple effect.
Just because it’s a part of your story, does not mean it’s your whole story. Many people are reluctant to share the tough-to-talk-about parts of their story for fear that they will be labeled as the ______ person. That they’ll only be known as that for the rest of their lives. But your story isn’t just one scene. It’s an entire journey. Most likely, that tough part was just the beginning of your story. So position that part as your “inciting incident” and then show people the journey of how you overcame it, especially how you grew as a person along the way. That’s what they’ll remember you for.
A story does not exist without conflict.
No one wants to hear about someone who has only won their entire life.
People need to know that part of you. Because how you face adversity, says everything about your character as a person and that is what they want to see.
Don’t be afraid to show them.
Peace and Love,
Rain
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