The way we frame our reality determines the possibilities we see, which in turn determines the actions that we take. This is just one of the many reasons why storytelling is such a powerful tool. Stories tell us about how we assign meaning to the world. They enable us to reconcile with our past and shape our future. They serve as a means to navigate our journey and connect with people and possibilities along the way.
Stories can also hinder us. I used to (and sometimes still do) turn to my career to tell my story. I allowed jobs that didn’t fulfill me to define my worth and without fail, this always left me feeling small. I also experienced the other extreme. Starting my company Joyo, was deeply fulfilling, but when we lost the company I also lost my sense of identity. External circumstances, be it careers, relationships, physical appearance, etc., often come attached with stories that are easy to accept as our own. The problem with this is that these stories are rarely authentic to who we are and they don’t actually define our worth.
As I move forward into the New Year, begin a new opportunity and adjust to a new home, I want to be very conscious about whose story it is that I’m living in. I want who I am as a whole person to determine what I stand for and the value that I bring. I want it to be the basis for the decisions I make, the people I know, and the opportunities I attract. I want to navigate my journey from the inside out. I want my authentic story to be my compass.
In order to do this, I’ve been working with a friend / leadership coach to hone and focus my story. After a lot of deep reflection, writing and conversation, I have a much better sense of what that story is. I’m now ready to share it – imperfectly and enthusiastically. That story is reflected in the rebranding of this blog, which from here on out will be called The Comet’s Tale. It’s also reflected in more detail on my personal site.
As always, this is an experiment and an exploration. I aim to make the content on this site as useful as possible and I’m always open to and grateful for feedback.