stories we tell
The Power of Storytelling
your voice matters
Imagine your favorite movie character. What makes them memorable? It is their story! Well, the same is true for YOU! A great story can help push your idea or brand forward, so it gets noticed by everyone, whether in real life or online. Sharing your story is the best way to make a real connection with your family, your friends, someone you have just met or even while pitching a business idea to Kevin O’leary! That is the incredible POWER of storytelling!
The Power of Storytelling
Stories are powerful, especially the ones we tell ourselves. Stories can lift you up and motivate you to be a better version of yourself.
The opposite is also true!
The stories we tell ourselves can also be devastating in nature. The stories you tell yourself can deflate your energy, dwarf your true potential and shatter your confidence and self-belief into tiny fragments!
As a Co-Active Coach and Narrative Guide, I know the incredible power of storytelling and the power of the stories we tell ourselves. After my father died, when I was 13 years old, he left me a treasure box of books that included a collection of Shakespeare’s short stories.
Unlike the other boys and children in our village, I spent a lot of time, alone, guarding our maize farm from monkeys, the books and stories I was reading became my solace. Stories like ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Macbeth’ helped me endure the pain of loneliness and kept my dream of one day becoming a writer and storyteller alive.
Getting Arrested
But, as the years went by, I began telling myself a different story. It was in my early 20’s when the story I had been telling myself changed from the of hope and optimism to that of lack and despair.
I began telling myself I wasn’t going to amount up to anything. The childhood zeal I had grown up and had been fed and watered by books I had read as a child, started evaporating. With time, I became so bitter, angry and disappointed in myself.
In 2003, I joined and dropped out of college in two attempts. After dropping out of college in Machakos, I came to Nairobi to focus on developing my skills as a writer, something I had wanted to do since I was a little boy.
Two years later, while I was working as a volunteer at Kumekucha Self-Help Group along Jogoo Road, I got arrested and spent 8 days at Makongeni and BuruBuru police stations. I saw my old regrets merge into older ones and as the doors of the police station cell banged shut, I prepared for the worst.
While I had prepared to share sad stories about how life had short changed me, the stories I had read as a young boy continued to be my lifeline. A man who had been arrested for robbery with violence mentioned that I looked like I had grown up with a father and as a result, he wanted me to start sharing about goal setting and how to be a better man.
This revelation reminded me to stop focusing on the troubles I had grown up with and start amplifying the treasures I possesed. And the more I thought about this new shift, the more it pointed me back to the dreams that reading Shakespeare while guarding monkeys on our maize farm evoked.
Finding My Lifesong
In 2008, I finally gathered enough courage to apply for a job at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation—as a TV Producer. It was a role I wasn’t qualified for. But, thanks to my creativity, ability to tell stories and connect with children, I was able to connect with my employers and colleagues, which opened doors to numerous opportunities.
Every time I visited a school, I would share my real life struggles with identity, self-esteem and growing up without a father.
This passion for stories led me to start a weekly program for 100 young male offenders at Nairobi Remand Prison in 2012. My work with them birthed Lifesong Kenya, an organization that has survived because of my ability to write and tell powerful stories to both supporters and beneficiaries.
In 2014, when I met the love of my life with no money to my name, I didn’t dwell on what I lacked. Instead, I used the magic of storytelling to paint a picture of our future together, and it worked.
When I talk about the power of storytelling, I know what I am talking about. As a Co-Active Coach and Narrative Guide, my goal is to help you succeed by providing the skills, resources, and coaching you need to amplify your brand and mission.
Let’s dive more by exploring the power of the stories we tell ourselves from watching the video below.
How I am Using the Power of Storytelling
My work at Lifesong Kenya exposes me to boys and young men who have endured exploitation, neglect, abuse, violence and sexual assault. While women and girls are deeply impacted by gender-based violence, sexual assault against male survivors has crippling impact.
As a result, boys and young men who have been sexually abused feel violated and tell themselves stories of defeat, inadequacy and brokenness. As an individual who takes care of these boys, I see the impact of sexual violence on boys first hand.
Since these boys have faced sexual assault from men, it makes my work very difficult and fragile because the boys see a reflection of the man who abused them, especially when I feel frustrated and use a harsh tone.
Thanks to my training as a Co-Active Coach, I am able to help boys to reframe and retell their stories. By doing so, we are able to co-create a more empowering perspective and story that equips the boys to develop the tools they need to overcome their troublesome past and create a new future.
This proves that storytelling is powerful, especially the stories we tell ourselves. Here’s a link to a dream that has been inspired by the incredible power of storytelling.
Let's Start Your Story
Ready to transform your brand or life purpose? I’d love to connect with you and learn about your unique mission. Book a free, no-obligation discovery call with me today to see how we can work together to co-create a story that resonates and drives action.
What to Expect:
- A friendly 30-minute conversation.
- We’ll discuss your goals and challenges.
- You’ll learn how my approach can help you succeed.
- No pressure, just a clear path forward.
Don’t wait. Your most powerful story is waiting to be told. Let’s use the incredible power of storytelling to bring it all together. Shall we?
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