Maggie Evans Everyone experiences adversity at some point in their lives. However, humans have the ability to bounce back after facing tough challenges. We even get better and get more resilient. You can always get advice on ways to enhance personal growth. But did you know that sharing your stories with others can affect your growth?
There is a lot of power when it comes to storytelling. Research shows that story telling can have significant impacts on your physical and psychological health for long periods. It does not matter whether you are giving out your story in writing or you are doing it orally, you will still benefit from it. American Indian healers are known to incorporate oral narratives in their healing interventions. This post will focus on how sharing stories can be beneficial for you.
If you are thinking of sharing your story, here are ways that will benefit you.
1. Knowing that your story can help others
Stories can be healing to you and to other people. If you do not know how you can help other people, you can start by telling your story. You are an expert on your life and sharing your story might have a bigger impact than you think. Words have power and how you use that power matters. It is important to use your words to impact other people in a positive way.
Here are ways you can think about how your story helps others:
- You can give people a voice through your words.
- Your words can make a difference in another person’s life.
- Depending on how you use your words, you can either touch people’s lives positively or negatively.
2. Helping you find your voice
Through story-telling, you can find your voice. When you find your voice, you can express yourself and make sense of the events that transpired in your life. While most people consider events in their lives as random and disconnected, you can see that the events have a place in your life. Your life is not a series of unplanned events. Instead, it is one story with a beginning, middle and end. Even the bad events help you become the person you are. Telling or writing your story can help you organize the events better. This will help you realize that you have control over your life. Did you know that it also boosts your memory? You are able to remember things more vividly when you share your stories.
3. It helps to re-affirm your values
At times, you are not sure of yourself and story-telling can help you re-discover what you had forgotten. It also helps you learn more about yourself as you identify what is important to you. For instance, you can find that there is need to work harder to meet the standards you set for yourself. It can also show you the things you value and the areas in your life that you can improve on.
If you overcame an adversity, you learn how strong you are and see the things that you overlooked that you shouldn’t have. You see the things you can add to your life to make things better. You re-establish values like hard work, integrity, persistence, patience, and others that can help you become a better person.
4. It can help you find peace and hope
After a tragic event, you need time to pick up the pieces of your life and start rebuilding. You cannot do that before getting closure. Telling your story to others can give you the closure you need as you face your fears and relive the moments. There is anonymous blog allow you to post without disclosing your identity. This will give you the assurance you need to disclose all the details without fear of being victimized.
Telling your story gives you a sense of peace knowing that you shared your experiences. It also gives you hope after you re-affirm your values. You have hope that the future will be bright since you have learned from the past.
If you are struggling in your personal life and find yourself stuck at one moment, you can try sharing your story. It can help you rediscover yourself and give you the courage to move on and write other chapters of your life.
