Story editing: Writing your life story

I am a storyteller at heart.

If you’ve read even a few of my blog posts, you can see this in the way I open my pieces. I always start with a story because people remember details better when they are woven into a narrative.

Storytelling is all around us. In social media images, clips and words make up the latest trending tales. You find stories in books, movies, ads — everywhere!

One thing that is common with nearly every story is this: it has been edited.

There is more than one way to tell a story and more than one way to phrase it.

Have you ever considered how editing your own story can change your life?

Story editing when it comes to our own life stories is about more than just revising words. It’s about changing behavior and shifting mindsets.

Story editing involves adjusting personal narratives and perspectives to promote growth and resilience. Story editing is a powerful tool for positive change.

We need story editing because we can get stuck in one version of our own narrative. Sometimes we get stuck replaying the same scenes and telling ourselves our story repeatedly and in harmful ways.

You can edit your story to see things in a new light and then move forward in creating the life you want. Just think, you are the author of your own story! You have the power to shape your narrative and write a new chapter.

To edit your story, you need to recognize that you are the creator of it. You are the one in control.

I recommend four steps to help you get a hold of editing your story:

Story editing is also an impactful tool for teens. By guiding teens to edit the stories they tell themselves, we can empower them to create their best selves.

Story editing provides another approach, new perspectives, and clarification to encourage positive behavior changes. When you assist your teen in reframing, you are helping them to see challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

Parents can teach teens this by having the family regularly come together to share stories about themselves. When parents ask teens questions about themselves and their lives, they have a chance to see how teens view themselves. Parents can then gently encourage the teens to reshape negative self-talk into positive talk.

Parents can also teach teens how to story edit by leading through example.

Teens see the power of stories when parents tell tales about themselves, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and more. By sharing about the challenges and triumphs of your family, parents show teens that overcoming obstacles is possible.

After teens have started to master story editing, teens can then help their peers. Peer-to-peer story coaching enables teens to help each other change perspectives and discern how to reframe narratives.

Teens should share their own narratives with each other. The teens need to be sure to do this with a lot of empathy and active listening. After, teens can offer peers guidance to reframe challenges and see their stories in a new light.

Peer-to-peer story editing helps people come together to see new hope in narratives. It also gives teens a better perspective on their pathway to self-discovery and growth.

If teens are interested, they can work with outside resources like life coaches to help in story editing. Life coaches can help set goals and create an action plan on how to change stories.

Ultimately, sharing stories is important because storytelling connects us. Stories enable us to see life through someone else's eyes.

Storytelling and story editing are ingrained in human culture. It’s time you and your teens start learning the art of them.