And I mean red raw eyes after bawling so hard.
My husband hugged me and my daughter laughed at me and it took me almost 24 hours to stop feeling so sad.
And I know I’m not alone. Even if you don’t watch the TV show, NCIS, I bet you’ve been moved to tears whilst watching a movie. But why?
True Storyline Or Not, The Story Is Real …
At least it is to the imaginative mind.
As I move toward my husband in tears, I’m also laughing as I struggle to say, “it’s not even real, it’s only a story.”
But that’s the point, it wasn’t only a story. Having got into the show and identified with the characters, I was transported into the world of the two characters, Tony and Ziva, and in doing that, it changed my brains chemistry, which created such a powerful connection, I felt I knew the characters and I felt for Ziva’s death, and Tony’s pain.
The pain was real and it didn’t take a lot to make me tear up for the next 24 hours either, because the cortisol and oxytocin were still at work as I flashed back on the storyline.
So what’s this got to do with you?
Everything if you’re going to use story to capture the attention of your audience.
You want to create such a vivid image in their minds that you make them feel what you feel, and now your story becomes their story.
The Psychology and Physiology Behind Storytelling
When you tell your story in a way that enables you to connect with your audience, a neurochemical called Cortisol is released by the brain and induces feelings of distress and therefore makes your audience occupied in your story – in the same way I was fully immersed in the Ziva and Tony story.
Oxytocin, a neurochemical that stimulates feelings of care and empathy enables your audience to identify with the hero or protagonist in a story – whether that’s you or someone else – getting people to take action, including buying your product, or hiring you.
That’s why I call storytelling the ultimate selling tool for people who hate selling.
And the important thing is that your story does not have to be an exact mirror of their story. It’s best to allow people to make their own story connections, which is why I don’t recommend PowerPoint presentations when sharing your story.
Let your audiences imagination run wild. The imagery you create with your words, your facial expressions, hand movements etc, will take them where they need to be, deepening their connection with you.
When I first shared my story at my church, both men and women approached me for weeks after to tell me how I told their story. Some of their stories were more related to mine than others, but even those stories that were not exactly the same, they identified with a different part of my story, but the result was the same … they felt connected.
If you think of your story as a transformational tool and not just a little anecdote, the healing potential for both you and your audience is immeasurable.
So don’t hold back, start sharing your story, but share it in a way that your story becomes your audiences story, because that’s where the transformation for them begins.
Blessings, and remember … Keep The Dream Alive!
