Go Ahead and Tell Your Story

If you have a story in your head – go ahead and tell it.

I have come across many people who’ve talked about sharing a story.

Some of the stories they want to share are fiction; others are very real yet seemingly fictional; some are allegorical; others are less about the story and more character-driven.

Whatever the case may be – if you have a story, go ahead and tell it.

Just getting the story on paper or the screen can do a lot of different things.

It might serve you. This might be the release you need to clear your mind, heart, and soul. It might free up trauma or help you understand something you can’t quite put your finger on. When you have a story to tell, it’s good to tell it for yourself.

It might serve others. This might inspire or empower someone else. Maybe they feel the same or have a similar idea – and telling your story helps them to tell theirs. Or see how they are not alone in the world.

I am not suggesting that you should go through the entire process of writing out a novel, getting it proofread and edited, and then either publishing it or getting it published. This is simply about taking the time and effort to tell your story.

Why? Because all our lives are made of stories. Keeping the story in your head is like caging a wild animal. It needs to be free to be its truest self.

And yes – stories can and do have lives of their own.

Not all stories are told in words

This is not just applicable to writing. It also applies to other arts.

Painters, sculptors, woodworkers, blacksmiths, and other artists tell their stories in their own way. Sometimes they’re a lot more obscure or subjective – but the story is still being told.

Some art is very obvious. Sculptures of figures in states of ecstasy or pain, paintings of war and peace, life and death, and the like. But many are abstract and indirect.

Abstract art can be color, form, and nothing obvious or in any way literal. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t tell its own story. It can be an expression of color, of joy and sorry, good and evil, and anything else you can conceive of.

Just like words can be arranged to construe different ideas – so can the other arts. And they tell their stories in their own way.

Even a chef can tell a story by the meals they prepare. That succulent dish that evokes childhood memories has a story, doesn’t it?

Lots of artists are unknown. Many others only do their art for themselves. Whatever the case may be, you have a story to tell – so go ahead and tell it.

Just because you keep the story to yourself – whatever form it takes – doesn’t mean it’s not worth the telling.

Your story may take another form

Many of the stories we have to tell will take forms apart from words and art.

Some people, in the way they do mundane and simple tasks, are telling a story. For example, you might have a very specific process for doing dishes, folding laundry, cleaning, or like activities that you follow.

The story therein may reflect how you emulate the way your grandparent did things, could spark a pleasant memory for long ago, or get you into a good headspace here and now. Cleaning a physical space can also clean mental spaces, too.

Some people tell their stories in athletic activities. Runners, pro athletes, and martial artists can tell their stories with what they do.

I have been doing medieval fencing for 30 years. There are, among my friends, people who are poetry in motion. The ease of movement, the flow of their body and weapons, the rhythm they employ – it can be akin to a symphony when everything comes together.

The how, what, why, when, and where of almost anything done with intent can be a story to tell.

Life is all about the stories

Every experience we have can become a story of one sort or another.

Some are fantastical and created specifically to entertain. Others are true, or at least true from a certain point of view.

Whatever the case – life and its happenings are stories. And there are always going to be new stories to be told.

Some will look, sound, and feel like others that have been told. It might be familiar – but that doesn’t make it any less valid.

I love a good “no shit, there I was” story. Yes, some people can be spellbinding storytellers while others are dull as dishwater. Some stories are legendary while others are utterly forgettable. Most fall somewhere in between.

I love to share stories both fiction and nonfiction. The greatest joy I take in life is telling stories to inspire, empower, spark imagination, and get you thinking.

New stories equal new information, evolution, growth, and change. And when all is said and done – isn’t that what life is all about?

If you are a writer, artist, or what-have-you – keep at it. Tell your story. True or made-up, get the story down into the appropriate medium – whether you share it or not.

Even if you are not an artist or creative type – go ahead and tell your story. Maybe you think it’s not interesting – but that doesn’t make that true.

What does that mean? It means don’t hesitate and be afraid to be yourself. I believe that a great many of the problems we have in the world today are born of people being disingenuous to themselves. Maybe they believe they need to not tell their stories so that they keep others feeling secure around them. But as Marianne Williamson says in her epic Our Deepest Fear,

“There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.”

Your story is worth telling. No, you might not share it with anyone else – but don’t keep it from yourself, either. Go ahead and tell your story because you are worthy and deserving of getting it out there. Whatever form it might take.

If you have a story in your head – whatever form it might take – go ahead and tell it. Even if you never share it – that doesn’t mean it’s not worth telling.

Thank you for being part of my ongoing journey, for joining me, and for inspiring me and my craft.

This is the one-hundred and twenty-seventh article exploring the ongoing creative process. Please take a moment to check out the collection of my published works, which can be found here.

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