This post was written by mentee, Shanille Martin.
“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” ― Philip Pullman
Everyone has a story. Some are happy and some are sad. At the Storytelling Workshop I heard many different types of stories. Our guest speaker, Cyndi Freeman, told us about her life as a child and then as an adult. Her story was very hilarious but also it was inspiring. She told us about the time she placed someone’s feelings before hers. She also told us that everyone might not think you have the IT factor. Some people might tell you that you won’t get anywhere. As long as you don’t give up on your dreams, that’s all that matters.
At the workshop we also learned about what they call a Story Arc. It’s a planner for telling your story in an organized way. You start off with the beginning of course, then you get to the “uh-oh” moment, your response to the “uh-oh” moment and then there’s the “aha” moment. You can also include if there was a change in yourself or a relationship you have with someone else. As long as you have these, you can really intrigue people with your stories.
My favorite part of the workshop came a little after that—free writing. I got to write out my story. It was hard to pick one, but after a while I chose the story of the time I went zip lining. I’m usually afraid of trying extreme things like zip lining, but at Frost Valley that day I went for it. When I shared out my story in a small group, I got a few laughs and great feedback. I also got to hear my peer’s stories. I learned a lot about them in the few minutes they were speaking.
Closing Lines came and I heard so many relatable and amusing stories from those who shared. I especially loved the story of the mentor who flew the plane. The Storytelling Workshop was definitely my favorite. It’s important to share your stories. They’ll fade away and become forgotten if we don’t.