What’s your story, Friend?

You have one.

And actually, that’s a trick question because you have lots of stories.

Success stories.

Failure stories.

Life lesson stories, too.

Everyone has their own stories. Stories that can be shared for the benefit of others.

Yet you probably don’t share them all that often (do you?).

Because it feels self-serving.

And/or too vulnerable.

Also, why would anyone want to listen?

Although not everyone wants to hear your stories (and those who would love to hear some won’t want to hear others), I guarantee that there is someone who would want to hear any given story you have.

Because stories are relatable. They are a connection point.

And when done for the purpose of connection and growth, they aren’t actually about YOU. This is true even when a story is told primarily to showcase who you are, how you think, and your approach to work and/or life.

When you share stories about how you succeeded, what you learned from a difficult experience, and/or how a failure was leveraged for later success (or just plain growth)…

… You’re sharing something valuable.

… You’re showing you care enough to be vulnerable.

… You’re making the story about them (not you).

[Unless the whole purpose is to brag, in which case you’re not really sharing a story; you’re just telling others how great you are, which is quite boring BTW].

Stories create more connectedness (from the get-go) and then deepen relationships.

Case in point: almost every attorney who reaches out to work with me feels like they already know me, thanks to how many stories I share here, on LinkedIn and on my podcast.

In a world where we are feeling less and less connected to other people, this is something that can bring more people together.

Know your stories. And be courageous enough to share them.

And please note that stories can be used in many contexts, such as:

• With friends/family members (including - maybe even especially - your kids).

• When managing others (to make your point stick).

• When marketing/networking (by sharing client-related stories).

Want to know more about how to identify and share stories through your work - especially in relation to marketing/selling? Listen to this week’s Life & Law Podcast about why - and how to use - storytelling in your marketing >>>here.

XO,

Heather

P.S. Oops! This email didn't get sent as planned yesterday. You might not have even noticed but I pride myself on being consistent and having a set schedule. But life got in the way and we're a day late. ;-)