Episode 217: What’s the Most Important Story in the World? Interview Mary Alice Arthur

Episode 217: What's the Most Important Story in the World? Interview Mary Alice Arthur

For all my Love Your Story listeners, you know the premise of the podcast is that we are living our story and while our backstories may be messy, coming to love and accept them is crucial to self-love and acceptance and to moving forward in a healthy way. We also constantly talk about the fact that since our lives are an unfolding story, and we have agency and intellect, we can, if we choose, control that story, we can shift directions at any time. We understand that the stories we tell ourselves determine what we believe, how we see the world, how we see ourselves - and those are powerful things, because they, in turn, determine our very lives. I have a question - do you get this in theory, or do you REALLY get it and put it into action?

Stay tuned — On today's show I have Mary Alice Arthur, a woman who has spent her life as a story activist helping people to understand this, and to empower them to use this power that we all have. She is the author of 365 Alive - Find your voice, Claim your Story. Live Your Brilliant Life. And she has travelled the world goin gin and out of organizations, systems and cultures working with groups and individuals helping them realize that story is the secret superpower of humanity.

Back to my question - do you REALLY get the super power you have within the story you are living? Do you use that super power with intention? Maybe you’re just starting to understand it. …. Well, if you really get it, then you begin to use your power to track the stories you are telling yourself. To determine which stories are lifting you, and which ones are holding you down. Then, with that information, you start to purposefully and intelligently make room for the stories that support and empower you. You become aware of the damage stories can have as well, and you realize you can purposefully extract the destruction, you don't have to make space for it, or feed it. So….Today’s show is particularly exciting because we have a guest who is going to give us more know-how, more insight, and actual things we can do to understand and embrace this power that lies within our mind and spirit, so we can create our best life story with intention.

Mary Alice, welcome to the show!! 

I want to start with a quote from you, “The stories you tell yourself influence whether you feel powerless or powerful, color how you define success and happiness, underpin eery action you take. When you wake up to the stories at work in for life you suddenly step into the position of power. Story stops being what defines you and becomes your ally.”

We want to make story our ally. We want to more fully understand the position of power we have with story. 

How do you help people understand the subjectiveness of story, and the power the stories we tell ourselves have in how our lives unfold?

When I read the Harry Potter books I would think, man, why doesn’t Harry study harder? If you knew you had that kind of power, why wouldn’t you figure out how to use it? Really practice… but in real life we do have power - amazing power that few of us take the time and effort to tap in to. 

Tune into the audio program to hear our conversation about the most important story in the world and how we can use it to support ourselves.

To contact Mary Alice:

365live.org

www.getsoaring.com

mary-alice@getsoaring.com

We’ve already had a lot to think about in this episode, so I’ll just end with the challenge - get clear on your own story. Pinpoint one area of your life that isn’t working for you as well as you’d like and take an honest look around the stories you are telling yourself, the stories others are creating for you, and determine how you could shift that story, look at it from a different angle, focus on what was learned instead of negative emotion, consider other perspectives, what would it look like to experiment with changes in the stories you’re telling so they could serve you. 

I know it’s hard work, but we can do hard things, especially when there is so much riding on it. 

Like Harry Potter learning to use his magic, sometimes the process is slow, but one step at a time, we make progress. Take a step this week.

Thanks for being here - share this episode with someone it will bless. Do a little good in the world by sharing a link. See you in two weeks for our next episode.