What Stories Do You Hold The Key To?
Who Benefits From Life Stories?
Life Stories are the secret sauce that connects us and helps us thrive. From the earliest days, our ability to share stories has helped us form communities and cultures while strengthening each of us.
Today, life stories continue to benefit us all. Well-told life stories have the power to connect and transform our families, our communities, our businesses, and ourselves. The process of creating and sharing them may look a little different for each, but the benefits carry through to all of them.
Life stories help us understand things in new ways. We are able to share experiences, learn from them, and create new connections. You could be holding the key someone is looking for. That someone could even be you.
The Power of Life Stories — For Those Who Want to:
Build Foundations
Life stories build foundations.
One of the most important keys to a child’s well-being is a sense of who they are. Much of understanding who you are starts with knowing where you came from.
Traditions, culture, and connections to our family histories and shared places provides a strong foundation for children of all ages, and economic vitality for communities.
These foundations give us a sense of belonging— vital to human growth and potential.
Deepen Connections
Life stories deepen connections.
Loneliness and isolation are on the rise, and one of the best ways we can combat an epidemic of disconnected youth, elders, and everyone in between, is through sharing our stories and life experiences.
Life stories connect us to each other— our family, our friends, our communities, and to our selves.
Shape Legacies
Life stories shape legacies.
Every day, we are shaping our life stories and our legacies. The only question is: how intentional are we being with them?
Using the tools of life stories can help us shape not just what our legacies will be for the generations to come, but also influence how we choose to live today.
This powerful combination of reflection and action can change lives now, and well into the future.
Why Now is the Best Time to Start
If you’ve ever thought about writing your life stories or capturing the life stories of someone you care about, now is the time to get started!
1. None of us are getting any younger.
One of the best things about aging is: you have stories!
Great stories, sad stories, stories of challenges and triumphs and defeats; stories you want to pass on of your experiences, or the experiences of others you value.
There is literally no better time to do it than right now. Memories fade. People change. And sometimes they leave us.
2. Change is coming. Fast.
Technology is evolving faster than ever. ChatGPT and other AI (artificial intelligence) tools are expected to at least double their computational capacity every six months.
The impacts this will have are unfathomable. One thing we do know: people’s life stories and legacies are already being shaped by algorithms.
What this means for life stories and the lived human experience remains to be seen. Even as we embrace change, we maintain our beliefs that humans have the right to own their lives, their privacy, and their stories.
You not only have the right to tell your stories, your stories are needed.
Why? Because the stories that are being told now are the ones that will influence what comes next! This has always been true and will remain true.
We want to help ensure algorithms don’t erase or diminish our histories and lived experiences.
3. The Resources are Here!
There are many tools available today that weren’t even a few years ago! We believe whole-heartedly that every person who wants to, should be able to record their life stories. We provide resources to help those who want to capture the power of their lived experiences. Many of the resources are free for those who want to do it themselves. For those who want more help, we offer a variety of services.
4. You’ll Be Glad You Did.
Many people regret never starting their life stories. But we don’t know anyone who’s regretted sharing them!
You might expect the joy most feel when they hold the final product — something as tangible as a book — that contains their treasured memories. They light up. And often tear up, but in the best way.
What you may not expect is how the process itself can provide a sense of relief, and even elation. There is a kind of magic that happens when you work with a partner who is genuinely interested and has the skills to listen deeply and help shape the best story for your needs.
Proven Success
