You Have a Story to Tell.

Your life, the one you have lived every single day, no one else has ever experienced. You have memories, thoughts, perspectives, and a voice that no one else has.

But most people fall into the belief that their lives are not “interesting” enough or “meaningful” enough or “famous” enough to write about.

To that, I say:

What defines interesting?

What defines meaningful?

What defines famous?

First, our life might not seem interesting to us because we live it, but to someone else, it is completely different. Which, I would argue, is pretty interesting!

Second, when we write, we express, which brings out the meaning and the intention in our stories.

Third, you do not have to be “famous” to tell your story. People want to connect, so when you write a relatable story, readers will resonate with it.

Personally, I want to hear about your daily life, about the little moments that have become routine to you. I want to know about the childhood memories and the stories that have been passed down for generations. There’s something magical within these.

Content vs. Intention

The content is not the story. 

I think that we have been accustomed to these larger-than-life stories and fantasy worlds, so when it comes to the mundane, our brains automatically push it aside instead of realizing how important these are as well.

For example, let’s say you are writing about making a morning coffee. That’s the content, but it’s not the story.

To find the story, you need the intention, so you might ask yourself:

1. “Why write about this?”

2. “Why does this moment stand out to me?”

3. “What was I thinking about during this time?”

Maybe you started to ponder about the rush of life vs. slowing down and wanted to share your thoughts. Maybe you decide to use the coffee as a metaphor or detail each step in the process and connect it back to a larger idea. That’s the story.

The intention creates the story.

How to start:

• Journaling

If you are someone who isn’t familiar with sharing your thoughts and feelings, I’d recommend journaling first. This can allow you some privacy and less pressure when it comes to first building your writing voice.

• Reflecting

Reflect on your life. This doesn’t have to be life-changing moments but can be jotting down what happened in your day. Think about challenges you’ve overcome, lessons you’ve learned, and the ideas you have. The goal is to find the intention.

• Be kind

Remember how much life you have lived. It’s okay if it feels overwhelming or even uncomfortable to reflect on memories. It’s also okay if the intention you have is one that “someone has written about before.” This is where the content and intention work together to create something new. Most ideas probably have been talked about in some form, but you have a unique perspective—stay true to you.

So, when you start to reflect on your own life, especially the mundane, I challenge you to move past the content and into the intention. That is where your story begins.

With hope and ink,

Chloe Rose