Everyone Has a Story…

Life is all about stories. The belief systems we carry with us every day are stories. Some we made up, some others did. Our life is a story. Our life story. We live it daily. Every experience we have, every laugh, every tear has a story. I often say branding is ‘how you show up everyday’. Yes, branding is simply telling a story. The people that you come in contact with every day have their own story. You have no idea what it is often times, but they have one. They have many. Marketing tells a story. It tells us what to expect, what the product or service will do for us, why we should buy, etc. Customer service people tell a story, and they create one at the same time. Every time you interact with another human being, your self, or the world around you, a story is created. I am often challenged when people ask me what I ‘do’. As a marketer, I know than I have to use words that people understand. Words that create an image for them that makes sense and that explains what I do. The truth is, what I want to say is “I help people create and share their own stories”. That is what I do. I am passionate about helping people to live and share their passion. I am passionate about helping people to communicate who they are and share their value. I am passionate about helping people to serve others in all that they do. Marketing, networking, and customer/client/patient interactions. Their stories matter. We love stories. The best books tell stories, the best speakers tell stories. We watch reality TV because we love a good “real” story. So, what does this mean to you?

• I encourage you to think about what your life story is. Think about what you want it to be. Think about the stories that already exist and how sharing them could serve the world.

• The next time you are on facebook, think about what story you could share that could help just one other person. Even if it’s just sharing some crazy thing you or your teen did that might just make someone else feel better knowing they aren’t ‘the only one’. The next time you encounter a customer, or client, or even a clerk who looks like they are having a bad day, ask your self ‘how can I make their story better’. Clearly they have one, you don’t know what it is, but how can you make it just a little bit better? Are you telling your self and your kids (or spouse) that they are terrible? That they are ‘bad’ or they never do anything right? (If you’ve decided that is the story, it will become their story!) When you are marketing your business, ask your self “am I saying what I want to say, or what they need to hear?” Are you trying to serve everyone in one paragraph? With millions of messages swirling around us every day, can they hear yours? You can’t serve them if they can’t hear you. Think about your story, and create one that serves those you want to serve by making it loud and clear. Think about how you show up to those around you. When you go to work each day do people look forward to seeing you? Or dread you coming? Think about those stories in your head

. You know, the ones that say “you can’t, you should, you never, you always…” Are they serving YOU? Ditch the stories that don’t serve you or anyone else! Create stories that do. It’s that simple.

Your creating and living your life story every day. In your personal life, your business life, your family life. Are you living the story that you want to? How can you make it better? Change it, Create new ones, and share them with the world You have amazing gifts, talents and passions. Are you using them? Are you sharing them? What’s your story?