Monday, September 19, 2022
You can hear the the angst in the stories people tell. You can hear the regret, the hopelessness, and the worry. A negative story can suck you down a rabbit hole. But here is the key – you can intervene. You can steer the story, even the one in your own head.
At any point in time, you have the power to interject, to be inquisitive and creative about steering the discussion. A meeting that’s going badly, an argument that’s getting heated, or a hateful exchange on social media – you can catch it, and turn it around. You can flip the switch with a good, respectful question. It could be as simple as asking, “How can we help?”
A good storyteller knows how to turn turn the plot around. When you are aware, you can create a new narrative, by steering it with some imaginative inquisitiveness. All by stretching your imagination a bit, you can come up with a really good question that will steer the conversation in a new direction! If others are blathering about negative things, twist the plot right away. A good story does have conflict, but a good storyteller takes that conflict and turns in right side up. Why not steer your conversations towards hope? Be inquisitive and ask about something that gets people motivated to think in positive directions. You always have the power to convey meaning, to interject humor, to soften the edges of contention by asking, rather than confronting. See what you can do, in your own circles, to break the cycle of negative stories. Your inquisitiveness will amaze your friends and relatives. People are longing for a new story. Jump in with a good, respectful, and thought-provoking question, and watch the plot turn around.