What is Your Mess?
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We are going back to the basics today and focusing on a writing prompt to help you identify and share a piece of your own story. #storytelling101
Storytelling is a powerful way to communicate with your audience and draw them into your world — it helps you share your own journey in a way that will resonate and be relatable. This is why storytelling is so valuable as a tool for communication, building your business, expanding your reach & impact.
So take the prompt I’m about to share with you and really dive into it — find the story you can use to share with your audience and create a connection with them.
Write about something that is messy in your life.
It's up to you if you want to take this the literal or figurative route.
The point is to use the idea of the story prompt — in this case something that is messy in your life — and create a connection point with your audience.
How can you use this story to share your message with others? How does this this particular story of something messy in your life relate back to a common thread between your message and your audience?
In my own life, I have found the state of my office desk fluctuates. There are times it is tidy — everything in it exact spot and in total order…. and then there are times when there is absolutely chaos. Papers are spread out everywhere, pens and markers litter the desk, books and journals lay open with unfinished thoughts still lingering. More often than not, my desk is an utter mess.
What I have discovered is when my desk is in total disarray, I am usually experiencing an incubation period of learning and absorbing in my business. This is not a period when I am in a state of taking action — I’m more in a planning phase. I’m under construction, if you will.
Then, something switches — and I go on a frenzy cleaning my desk and my office in general. I put all the pens and markers back where they belong. I wipe off my whiteboard and create a clean slate. I stack all of the books and journals together nice and neat — spines facing forward so I can easily identify them and pull them down when needed. This is when an invisible green light has ignited and I am ready to take action on things to move forward with my plan.
Quite honestly, I think this is very similar to the process of storytelling. First comes the incubation period where you must discover the elements of the story worth exploring. You work to puzzle piece the message of the story in just the right way. And then when you are ready — the green light comes one — you begin to share the story openly with others. You test it out in the open market.
The good thing about a mess is you can always clean them up. You can always restore order. Some of us thrive in the mess — but it’s important you don’t stay there. Put things back in their place. Restore order. Take action. Share your story.
That’s my example … now it’s your turn. What is messy in your life right now? What does that mess really represent? How can you take the prompt and share a piece of your own story while relating it back to the message you want to share with your audience?
If you want a place to flex your own storytelling muscle, you have an open invite to join us in my free private facebook group, called the LIGHTbeamers Community. You can post your work there and share with us your own mess!
Feel free to tag me in the post and I’ll give you comments and feedback.
I always love hearing from you so jump into our community and engage.
