We all have a story to tell. In fact, some of us have more than one story to tell!
Question is, will you get to tell it? What’s holding you back from speaking up?
Ask yourself this – If you knew you had a week to live, how would you feel knowing you are about to pass on without sharing your story with the world?
Happy?
Relieved?
Tinge of regret?
If you are like most people, you will probably consider it a missed opportunity.
And rightly so.
Of all the things you can do to make this world a better place, telling your story ranks up there with the best of them. This is one of the most valuable (and rewarding) things anyone of us can do on the short time we have available to us.
Why it Matters
Telling your story to the world can be very healing on a personal level.
Whether you choose to do it through a blog, joining a community healing project, as a life coach who draws from his/her personal experiences, publishing a book about it or what-not, sharing your story is a great way to reflect on and acknowledge the things that happened in your life.
It is hard to make peace with yourself without walking down the path of reflection and acceptance.
It is a lonely path each one of us needs to walk alone, but the big positive about it is that we find closure and in doing so, emerge out of the experience as stronger, better versions of ourselves.
But sharing your story with the world is not all about personal fulfilment. Telling your story to the world can be greatly inspiring. You would be amazed by how inspirational it can be to share your struggles with others.
This is probably something you have experienced in person or come across online where someone opens up about the struggles they have been through and how they got through the ordeal.
There is something about human nature that draws us to such stirring stories, especially when it comes to topics that are not spoken much about.
This is why find rags-to-riches stories uplifting. It is why stories of a broken heart that eventually finds love are usually touching. It is why stories of humility tend to be humbling.
Generally, stories that involve a reversal of fortune or turning the tide for the better tend to be naturally motivating.
That is why yours would be too.
What’s more, by being bold enough to talk about your experiences – especially experiences that attract judgement, shame, or something people shy away from – you help open a new conversation on the issue.
Our society is not devoid of topics characterized by shame, embarrassment and the like – sex, eating disorders, depression, domestic violence, abortion, body conditions, emotional abuse; the list is endless.
What else you manage to achieve by voicing your story is empowering others. By owning your story and showing the world where it brought you, you empower others to speak up too.
Wouldn’t that be nice?
So then, what could be holding you back from speaking out?
In part 2 of this two-part blog series, we will reveal the things that keep people from speaking out, and how we can go about changing the narrative.