CHANGE THE STORY TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME

James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

The path we are on is still unfolding. We are not behind; we are all becoming, for a pause is still a part of the path.

Total surrender, not in defeat but in wisdom, is surreal. True resilience is not just about bracing for impact but also about learning to bend without breaking. Impermanence is the greatest teacher to loosen the grip and savour the moment. It is paramount to understand that the problem is not that things change but our refusal to accept that they must.

How then do we Change The Story To Change The Outcome?

Your Re-invention will start only when you stop carrying the weight of who you were. When you embrace the fact that failure is just an event and not your identity, whatever life's fires are thrown your way, you will forge yourself and rise from the ashes.

Success is not solely built on product, service or price; rather, it is shaped by the narrative you build around your brand.

Gareth O'Connor, Brand & Marketing Strategist, who is the Founder of Something Different, emphasises not only changing the story but reaching out to your target audience, who will boost your growth.

He gives classic examples of rising from failure to being in the powerhouse league.

Take, for example :

Apple in 1997 was close to bankruptcy. The company had to shift from just tech specs to storytelling by introducing the “Think Different Campaign.”They talked about creativity, innovation and changing the world. Hence, their customers were invited into identity, vision and inspiration such that their products supercharged their appeal and pricing power.

Airbnb initially struggled when it was viewed as just another rental service competing with hotels. Their breakthrough came when they shifted their narrative from “affordable accommodation “ to “belonging anywhere”. This brand health turned Airbnb from an unemotional transactional service into an experience of genuine human connection and belonging. It eventually resulted in global growth and industry disruption.

His examples prove the significant fact that the stories we tell shape our success far more than we realise.

He clearly brings it out as well that if things are not working as you want, you must pause and reconsider your narrative. It is worth asking if you're telling the right story and if it is being heard by the right people. You must also reflect on whether the story is being told in the best medium to amplify its impact.

To change a story's outcome, first identify the current narrative. Write a new one with a different ending by intentionally changing your internal thoughts, and finally start acting in alignment with the new story.

This whole process involves recognising your current story, questioning if it's empowering and then writing & consistently repeating a more proactive story. It is only by changing how you narrate your life that you can change the outcome and live into a new reality.

Nyumbani Julisha Consultants Wellness Life Coaching Desk states that: While blame keeps the focus outward, peace is an internal choice. Personal accountability is in reclaiming your power and shifting the perspective from victimhood to growth.

Dolly Parton: “If you do not like the road you're walking, start paving another better one. “

Steps to undertake to change the story

Recognise and evaluate your current story by identifying the voice. This is your internal dialogue that you narrate about your current situation. Write it down and assess its power by asking if it is empowering.

Create a new narrative by writing a new ending. Deliberately construct a different ending to reflect the outcome you want.
Act on the new story by telling it so often. Take consistent action to make choices that align with your new story and goals.
George Bernard Shaw:” Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. “

Embracing change is about adopting a growth mindset.

To break any record, you must respect the process so that results will follow. With a quality state of mind, you can map out a strategy to change the story. In any given moment, we have two options. To either step forward into growth or step back into safety. All that you achieve and fail to achieve are the direct results of your thoughts. You cannot change what you refuse to confront.

Change is not without its dark side. However, most change is positive if we look at it in a healthy way. Many people still baulk at change, for it terrifies them when their lust for living is taken away.

Change and risk go hand in hand. Life without any risks cannot be a full life, yet as human beings by nature, we are dynamic and full of energy. We must allow and accept change to happen, go with it, move with it and learn from it. It should not pull you down or make you afraid. Trust that change is for the best.

The difference between a grave and a rut is the dimensions.
Redirection in the denial is choosing how to respond and not just reacting.

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