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4 Ways Storytelling Is Going to Change Your Life

4 Ways Storytelling Is Going to Change Your Life

Beatrice Ngalula Kabutakapua storytelling coach 4 Ways Storytelling Is Going to Change Your Life Dazzle

Storytelling can literally change your life. But sometimes my passion for the topic makes me forget to be clearer about it. Which is why I’m presenting pen to paper the four ways storytelling is going to change your life.

But first, here is how the brick fell on my head and made me realise I needed to create this list.

Imagine the scene: I write a long, hearty, emotional post about how sharing your story can connect you to the right people, help you to sell more and show your authenticity.

And then I get the feedback.

“I know you want to tell stories Bea, but businesses really need to understand what the benefits are of doing storytelling.”

And I think: haven’t I just listed them?

This post is a clarification for my business self and a clarification for you, who stumbled upon this post (by the way, in the future don’t stumble, join me with intent).

Clarification #1: I’m talking to YOU

When I share about how telling my story helped to go from feeling insecure, frustrated and fake to being well-put, happy and authentic, I do refer to the positive consequences this has had on my business, but first and foremost I talk about me. 

Whenever I share something about storytelling, I’m talking to YOU, the person behind the business. Your stability, happiness and authenticity make your business. Hence, storytelling is one and foremost about you.

My whole business exists to share with you the tools that have helped me to build a business I believe in while connecting with people I genuinely admire. You can receive those tools and apply them however you prefer for your business.

So when I am told businesses don’t get it, of course they don’t! Because I am not talking to them. I am talking to the people behind them, who courageously decided to step out of their comfort zone and use their superpowers to change someone else live.

Yes, because a business is about the help you provide, the people you care for, the legacy you leave. And all of this started with YOU.

Clarification #2: Four ways storytelling is going to change your life

If you are an insider of my newsletter and have read my previous posts, you know I link quite a bit storytelling to marketing and business. Yet, I never really dwelled into how telling your story can revolutionise your life. It’s that change of mindset, feeling and that self-development that comes with storytelling that makes you capable of achieving your goals and giving back to the community. Here are four ways storytelling is going to change your life.

1. You’ll be more aware

The first step of telling your story when presenting your business is to know your story.

I’ve never really understood when people told me “I don’t know what my story is”, because for me my story was clear: I was born in Italy from Congolese parents, grew up in Rome until I was in my 20s. That’s when I moved to the UK, travelled allover and eventually came back to London. Period.

But my story, your story goes beyond your data, beyond the places you’ve been to. Your story is about how those experiences shaped you and how they brought you to start this particular business for this specific audience. That’s step one of every storytelling coaching session I run and if you want to take that first step, call me.

My story, your story goes beyond your data, beyond the places you’ve been to. Your story is about how those experiences shaped you and how they brought you to start this particular business for this specific audience. Click To Tweet

2. You’ll feel more confident

Have you watched a one-year-old walk, lately? Notice how unbalance, uncertain and insecure he is on his two feet. Why? Because he doesn’t know if he can trust his limbs, he doesn’t know enough about them and himself and hasn’t practiced enough.

Not knowing your story makes you walk like a one-year-old child.

Whereas, once you have acknowledged your story, you become a well-balanced Simon Biles!

And that balance gives you confidence in your story, in what you’re doing, in why you’re doing it. You now know the roots of your idea and that means you have clarity, an invaluable, indispensable but often forgotten entrepreneurial friend.

3. You’ll feel free

Step two of the storytelling process my clients go through is: owning your story. You have spent time going through your life history, business history, what people have been saying about you, what you have been saying about yourself etc. Now you take all that in, acknowledge the fact that it exists and learn the truths about your motivation and whys.

In a way is like you could see yourself being created in 3D from your feet to the last ending of your hair. You see the process, you know what happened and NO ONE can ever tell you what you saw is wrong.

Growing up I was told I was shy so often that I believed it. Thank god I was directed to the book Quiet by Susan Cain and finally understood I am an introvert. We act based on our beliefs. And believing to be shy prevented me to leap numberless times.

Yet, the more I looked back into my story, the more I shared my story on stages, during conferences, workshops etc., the more I knew what others said was nonsense. I embraced my introversion and everything it entails. I felt free.

4. You’ll feel in control

Storytelling is not going to transform you into a controlling or super extrovert, under-the-spotlight person. Unless you already are.

Storytelling is a journey towards authenticity and being authentic, being real means embracing yourself. Which is why storytelling is not something you exclusively do with words: we tell stories with fonts, pictures, video, T-shirts, shoes …

When you are travelling towards your authentic self, you pick up your own way of telling your story: you choose what to share, who to share it with, what medium to use, what fits with you. 

You are in control.

Hopefully these four ways storytelling is going to change your life will sparkle a reflection in you. If they do, let me know in the comments or send me a message.

Keep in mind that storytelling is a process, you don’t have to figure it out right about now. But starting the journey is easy, you could: start with a course, a call or a newsletter.

Happy travelling

 

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