The stories we tell others about ourselves are very important, because they are powerful tools in shaping our relations for better or worst. Humans always share stories. So, let us craft these stories we tell others about ourselves in ways that are more conducive to their well-being! Let us craft these stories to be more inspiring for them!

I have to say that, when I become conscious about this aspect, I understood how selfish I was in telling others stories about myself… I was full of me. I was nourishing an “amazing me” and I was so blind to the fact that I could so easily tell these stories “about me” in ways that could be so much more inspiring for others.

Normally, we do this: we speak about us enhancing how special we are (or how victim we are) – others being only the background, the opportunity for us to tell (probably only to ourselves) how “special” we are. But we can do much more: we can so easily retell the same old stories in ways that could make more sense to others. If we orient our stories to nourish the people around us, we can accomplish this task so easily! If we take them as our main concern (when we tell stories about us) we can be so much more conducive to their well-being.

Of course, first of all, our stories have to make sense for us. If there is a sense in them, we can make this sense to become visible and nourishing to others. For example, if there is in my story a challenge that was overcome – and because in everyone’s life there are challenges to be overcome – I can tell my story in a way that consciously seeks to help others to find ways to overcome similar challenges. Of course, here I am not talking about giving unsolicited advice, but telling a story that is especially crafted to inspire others.

Each story that makes sense for us, can be told in a way that is oriented to inspire and nourish others and not only for self-aggrandizement.

As a storyteller, you can make your own story an open story for others. In general, stories are self-contained: they have a beginning, a middle and an end. Stories are about the storyteller or about some heroes, but they are not about you, the listener. Open stories are open-ended: there is no resolution yet. There is some kind of opportunity in the future and it is not clear whether it will materialize or not. The resolution of the open-story hinges on you, the listener: the resolution depends in part on the choices you will make and the actions you will take. An open story (an open project) is a call to action directed at the listeners, stressing the role that they can and need to play in resolving the story. Effectively framed open stories are designed to inspire and motivate others to come together to accomplish something that none of us could fully accomplish on our own.

So, I tell you – the reader of my website – a story that I hope to make sense to you. I present my story (through this website) as an open story with an open-ended – inviting you to join me, to join us to co-create a social space conducive to cooperation and self-expression.