MLK's Dream Sparks the Story

I can’t help but think about the power of Story today, as we celebrate and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here was a man so passionate for civil rights, he rose above adversity and used his voice to openly share his story as a means to blaze the trail for all of his brothers and sisters.

It’s awe-inspiring to think about the journey of Martin Luther King, Jr and how powerful his legacy is to this day.

Can you imagine if he had let all the doubts in his head keep him quiet??

I hear some of the same things over and over from amazing women who tell me they are scared to share their story —

Things like, “What will other people think?  What if they think I’m trying to be somebody special? What if my story falls flat, and it’s not exciting enough?" 

Some of these same thoughts probably went through MLK's head at some point.... Can you imagine if Martin Luther King, Jr had let that fear get to him?

Now, I know already what you are thinking next…. you’re saying, "But April, my story is not Martin Luther King story!"

It doesn’t matter.

While Martin Luther King Jr’s story and message and powerful march for Civil Rights totally changed the landscape of our country, and impacted millions…. I still believe he would have kept going even if he didn’t reach the masses.

You see, that’s just it — his story was all about his desire to create change, his willingness to step up as a leader in his community, his ability to use his voice to speak out against injustices in this world.

He would have spoken his words to 10 people just the same as he spoke them to 10,000.

It’s such a dangerous slope for people— especially women — to think their stories can’t possibly measure up to the greats, so why bother.

It diminishes how you see yourself when you do this, and it weakens the  power for other women, too.

It doesn’t matter if you own a business filled with products that can help others or if you are on fire with a message you know others need to hear….. you have to know that the work you are doing matters to one person the same as it matters to many.

Martin Luther King Junior had a dream….. a dream that included a world where all people were celebrated and honored for their worth and value. It doesn’t matter if you are white, black, christian, jewish, short, tall, man, woman, republican, democrat, long hair or short hair….. you have a unique story. You are the sum of ALL your parts.

Don’t you dare think your story is not enough, or that your audience is too small, or that others will think you’re crazy. When you think like this, you are throwing shade on your worth and value, and you are with-holding a message someone else needs to hear.

This country really needed Martin Luther King, Jr. We needed his story, his willingness, his fight, his determination, and his voice. Think about how he owned his value and worth and stepped up to the plate to share what was burning a hole inside of him. Think about the change he brought about as a result.