Where Do Great Stories Come From?

Have you ever found yourself totally captivated by a good story? Do you have people in your life who just seem to ooze great story after great story? Their lives seem to be so full of excitement, hilarity and the unexpected. At times you find yourself quietly living vicariously through their journeys, near misses and outrageous encounters, when even the somewhat ordinary becomes the extraordinary.

If you have answered yes to any portion of the above, I have a secret I want to share with you. This secret will take you from being the listener and the one who is possibly living through the stories of others, to becoming the one exploding with excitement – others hanging off your every word.

Before I share this secret, you must first understand something very important. Once this secret has been revealed to you, it is your responsibility to allow your stories to ignite something within others. Simply put, you need to pay it forward and share the excitement and wonder of your stories with those in your world. You need to help others step beyond their comfort zones.

What is this secret I’m talking about?

Here it is … every great story has been lived by the storyteller. Meaning the storyteller has stepped beyond his or her comfort zone and has lived something that is worth telling about. The clincher is, most times living through the story isn't easy but at the end, after time has passed, these life experiences become the great stories that we all hang on to, that we share and pass on through the generations. These stories become the ones that we never tire of hearing. These stories are usually filled with excitement, anticipation, disappointment, joy, at times pain, the hilarious moments and the lessons that were learned along the way.

So friends, if you are, in fact, one who feels like your life stories are limited then I encourage you to step beyond what feels safe, and truly engage life and what it throws your way. Dare to be different and dare to go where you’ve only dreamed of going. Become one who shares the story, because a great life story always gives another the courage to live a louder, stronger, more explosive life.

So, where do great stories come from? They come from lives well spent. In these turbulent times can I (again) suggest that we spend our lives well and allow our existence to make a difference in this world? Let the stories of your life unfold and know that the generations will thank you for stepping beyond your comfort zone.

I can’t wait to hear the stories that will be shared in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

Susan