Stories

Everyone has stories.  And I believe each of us has compelling stories to tell that can make a difference.

Facebook says we can tell our stories with Timeline.  Fantastic.  You start seeing photos of your friends' graduation or wedding day got replaced by updates on what they just had for breakfast this morning.   Great invention!  

Facebook is still great, don't get me wrong.  The thing is, we have total autonomy on how we tell our stories.  Say you are catching up with an old friend – would you rather be interested that he had Egg Benedict this morning, or hear about his new dream job?  

Say you have had a rough day at work where literally everything could have gone wrong had gone wrong.    

When your emotional edge and resentment are your little demon friends, you chose to tell and post your story with:  

"I would not be feeling x, if y didn't happen." Or, more realistically, "I would not be feeling x, if so-and-so didn't do y." 

What this is, is like a projector screen of words convincing you of a story you are literally making up to yourself. Works you up to anger, exacerbates the pain and guaranteeing its survival.

To me, the purpose of telling your story of self is to create common ground with your audience by sharing a story that reflects the values that brought you to work on your given issue, and where those values come from.

Perhaps next time you can consider taking your frustrations to the bar and flush it down with a happy-hour drink or two.  

Do you think the keyboard can escape just like that?  

I don't think that's allowed.