Inspiration for the new year

Today I’d like to offer you a dash of inspiration for the new year.

So I’ve got two things to offer you:

First, your invitation to my free monthly gathering for storytellers. At this virtual community event, we reflect on our recent storytelling successes and our challenges, and support each other in moving forward. This Zoom event is open to all, but you have to register in advance. Sign up for the next event here: Monthly Gathering Sign-up

Secondly, this wonderful story shared by one of the Storytelling with Heart community members, Stephanie Ostling.

I’ve really appreciated Stephanie’s updates on her own storytelling over the years, and at the end of 2020, she surprised me with a really uplifting story about where her stories have taken her. It gave me such a boost to read, and I hope it will do the same for you. A reminder that it’s never too late to write a new story for ourselves, and that sometimes our stories will take us where we need to go.

Here is Stephanie’s story:

“Camille reintroduced storytelling to me. I was attracted to the truth that I had a story (or potentially many) buried deep inside my soul that needed to be released.

When I began working through a series of her writing prompts, stories poured onto the pages; stories from my childhood, stories about fragmented relationships, and stories about the new chapter I had recently begun. And yet, despite the release of all of these stories, I still felt there was one deeper.

That story was finally unearthed months later, and I never could have anticipated how life-changing its discovery would be. When it became clear that 2020 was going to look very different than years prior, I found myself at a crossroads. My work slowed as the world struggled with how to address this new virus. It was during this pause that I realized how unhappy and unfulfilled I was. Despite being a pharmacist working in my “dream job,” I was miserable. So, I set out to uncover my purpose – my “why” – and through this process, I discovered an incredible story. It was the story of a little girl who never felt good enough, loved enough, or capable enough, but who had finally found her voice and said, “I am enough, I am loved, and I am capable.” And I wanted other women to know they are too.

I left my job in pharmacy in order to pursue something wholly different, something that felt like home to my soul. And this story now serves as the foundation of my new life’s work which is dedicated to empowering professional women to live in pursuit of who they were created to be.

I learned so much about myself through this discovery process, and because I am sharing my story, I now have an opportunity to impact the lives of other women in powerful ways. Storytelling is an innate part of who we are, and it is only by sharing our stories with others that we can truly connect with ourselves and the world around us.” -- Stephanie Ostling

(You can find more about Stephanie and her story here: www.iaminpursuit.com)

I know that the past year has been challenging and 2021 is too. But I believe in you and your story, and your ability to use it for good.