Last week I wrote about my son Amadeus co-directing a big design competition at his college.
Yesterday, I watched him host a Zoom meeting where six judges selected the winners. The start-up business ideas these young people presented were amazing! Every one of them was meaningful, with products that were designed to make our lives better, not just to be profitable. Truly inspiring offerings to Where do we go from here?
At the heart of it all was an invitation for the students to send in videos about their story – their passions and what got them to where they are now. Amadeus announced that over 70 people sent in videos and that each and every one of them gave the judges and the team goosebumps.
I’m always moved by the courage it takes to share our stories with vulnerability and authenticity.
Our stories – with heartbreaks, challenges, and ways we overcame them – help us to connect with one another.
They inspire us, they help us grow, they open up our hearts to Love.
They bring us new awareness and trigger our desire to make positive changes in our own lives.
The student who won for her story video said she was a bit surprised because she always thought it would be her work, rather than her story, that would open new doors and new possibilities.
One of the mentors/judges followed with advice to the students to lead with their stories – because their uniqueness lies in their personal journeys.
Isn’t that beautiful?
Last week I wrote about my son Amadeus co-directing a big design competition at his college.
Yesterday, I watched him host a Zoom meeting where six judges selected the winners. The start-up business ideas these young people presented were amazing! Every one of them was meaningful, with products that were designed to make our lives better, not just to be profitable. Truly inspiring offerings to Where do we go from here?
At the heart of it all was an invitation for the students to send in videos about their story – their passions and what got them to where they are now. Amadeus announced that over 70 people sent in videos and that each and every one of them gave the judges and the team goosebumps.
I’m always moved by the courage it takes to share our stories with vulnerability and authenticity.
Our stories – with heartbreaks, challenges, and ways we overcame them – help us to connect with one another.
They inspire us, they help us grow, they open up our hearts to Love.
They bring us new awareness and trigger our desire to make positive changes in our own lives.
The student who won for her story video said she was a bit surprised because she always thought it would be her work, rather than her story, that would open new doors and new possibilities.
One of the mentors/judges followed with advice to the students to lead with their stories – because their uniqueness lies in their personal journeys.
Isn’t that beautiful?
He also pointed out how it’s our stories that connect us in our shared humanity. And it’s from that place of connectedness that we can work, design, and create a beautiful world.
But sharing our stories openly – especially the hard parts – isn’t always easy.
If we share it with someone who doesn’t receive it with kindness, we may feel ridiculed and insecure to share again.
If we share something vulnerable with someone who isn’t present with us, we may feel unheard and discouraged to share.
If we share and get one-upped, we may feel belittled and like we don’t matter.
Can you think of a time when you shared parts of your story and felt embarrassed or discouraged?
So much so that you shut down and stopped all together. Maybe you even became afraid and pushed the hard or broken parts deep into the shadows.
We’ve all experienced it to some extent…
But because of our innate human desire to connect, we keep trying and practicing. We continue to try and find the safe and appropriate places to share.
It also helps to learn about ourselves and discover tools that help us communicate our stories.
In a book club I attend each week, we’re currently reading Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart. The book is like a map that gives us the language and tools to navigate through “emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human” and to help us “share our stories in a way that builds connection.” (I highly recommend it.)
We take the prompts from the book to openly share with each other some of the hardest moments of their lives. We are able to do that because we feel safe and supported by each other.
In our group we have a clear understanding and agreement about how we listen to each other, honor each other’s experiences, and listen without judgement or trying to “fix” each other (<— super important!). We read books that help us practice communication skills and build compassion and self-awareness. We have a common goal of growing and supporting each other on our life’s journeys.
Having a community like that is incredibly important for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of our society.
My invitation to you is to reflect on your support system this weekend.
Who are they? What is the community in which you can be as you are, fully open, and vulnerable?
How do you support others to feel safe to share their stories with you?
What can you do more to create a safe space for others?
Reflect on that in the coming days (and look for the Atlas of the Heart at your library).
He also pointed out how it’s our stories that connect us in our shared humanity. And it’s from that place of connectedness that we can work, design, and create a beautiful world.
But sharing our stories openly – especially the hard parts – isn’t always easy.
If we share it with someone who doesn’t receive it with kindness, we may feel ridiculed and insecure to share again.
If we share something vulnerable with someone who isn’t present with us, we may feel unheard and discouraged to share.
If we share and get one-upped, we may feel belittled and like we don’t matter.
Can you think of a time when you shared parts of your story and felt embarrassed or discouraged?
So much so that you shut down and stopped all together. Maybe you even became afraid and pushed the hard or broken parts deep into the shadows.
We’ve all experienced it to some extent…
But because of our innate human desire to connect, we keep trying and practicing. We continue to try and find the safe and appropriate places to share.
It also helps to learn about ourselves and discover tools that help us communicate our stories.
In a book club I attend each week, we’re currently reading Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart. The book is like a map that gives us the language and tools to navigate through “emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human” and to help us “share our stories in a way that builds connection.” (I highly recommend it.)
We take the prompts from the book to openly share with each other some of the hardest moments of their lives. We are able to do that because we feel safe and supported by each other.
In our group we have a clear understanding and agreement about how we listen to each other, honor each other’s experiences, and listen without judgement or trying to “fix” each other (<— super important!). We read books that help us practice communication skills and build compassion and self-awareness. We have a common goal of growing and supporting each other on our life’s journeys.
Having a community like that is incredibly important for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of our society.
My invitation to you is to reflect on your support system this weekend.
Who are they? What is the community in which you can be as you are, fully open, and vulnerable?
How do you support others to feel safe to share their stories with you?
What can you do more to create a safe space for others?
Reflect on that in the coming days (and look for the Atlas of the Heart at your library).
Song
It’s Valentine’s Day – a day to celebrate Love.
While it’s traditionally a day to honor couple-love, we may all also celebrate our Love of and for one another.
“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you are expecting to give–which is everything.”
-Katharine Hepburn
“When you love someone, you love the whole person as he or she is, and not as you would like them to be.”
-Leo Tolstoy
So, in addition to expressing your love for your sweetheart, call someone close to you – a parent, a sibling, a friend – and express your unconditional love and virtual embrace.
That is part of sharing our stories.
It’s Valentine’s Day – a day to celebrate Love.
While it’s traditionally a day to honor couple-love, we may all also celebrate our Love of and for one another.
“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you are expecting to give–which is everything.”
-Katharine Hepburn
“When you love someone, you love the whole person as he or she is, and not as you would like them to be.”
-Leo Tolstoy
So, in addition to expressing your love for your sweetheart, call someone close to you – a parent, a sibling, a friend – and express your unconditional love and virtual embrace.
That is part of sharing our stories.
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AND live your dream life.
Get weekly emails, exclusive content. special offers and
event updates directly to your inbox.