Empowered Way Podcast

Dear Empowered Wayers:

Are you feeling a sense of uncertainty about the future? There are a multitude of problems that aren’t being solved and it impacts your sense of peace and well-being.

Today, I am here to remind you that you can retreat from the chaos of the outer world. There is a still, silent place within that is always present and waiting for you.

Take that long, slow, deep breath in and notice how your body responds. Feel the oxygen reaching the lowest lobe of your lungs and hold it. Release slowly and consciously.

You have just taken a step away from the disorder of the world. Repeat and discover that you are able to renew your mind, body, and soul in the space of several heartbeats.

You are a Being first, then Human

When I live life from the outside-in, I soon feel anxious, over-whelmed, and uncertain. My sense of self diminishes and I am alone in my thoughts, which are no longer helpful. I lived this way for the first half of my life, until I discovered I had it backwards.

I realized I could never solve the obstacles in my life from my narrow perspective of humanness. None of my ideas to move ahead would ever raise me above the fray. Why? Because I was trying to solve the problems from the same consciousness that created them.

It wasn’t until I surrendered to Divine Love and allowed that beautiful energy to flow in the my life, that everything changed. My inner voice - call it intuition, Higher Self, or the authentic self - began to guide me. My inner voice that is connected to Divine Love. What I call being.

What is being? The easiest way to explain it is by an acronym:

You are here to express the infinite nature of God. Your being is the gift of creation. Remember to start with the gift of beingness and you will receive guidance beyond your narrow perspective.

Turn off your phone, step away from social media for a few minutes. Listen to this guided meditation and discover a new way to show up in the world. Your presence becomes infused with divine presence.

To your beingness,

Kathryn

P.S. The meditation I shared is on Insight Timer, a free app that contains more than 200,000 meditations. Please follow me on the app :-)

Welcome to Heart Month!

The human heart is an interesting organ. Some call it selfish. Others see it as expansive.

Did you know that as your blood flows through your body, the highest quality blood is saved for the heart itself and the lesser quality blood goes to the other organs? So you might call it selfish because it keeps the best quality blood for it self.

If the human heart didn’t do that it would fail. And if the human heart failed, every other organ, including the brain, would also fail. The human heart has to truly love itself and give it its own best attention with the best quality blood in order to ensure that all other organs are taken care of.

The heart is an organ that pumps life into the rest of the body.

The heart is also a sacred space where you connect with a higher energy. Call it God, Yahweh, or the Universe, when your heart is open to connection, it changes everything.

If your heart isn’t open, connection won’t happen.

Your mind constantly urges you to act, to be logical, to be realistic. Think of it as masculine energy — doing is the most important thing.

Your heart speaks a different language. Connection, collaboration, and creativity. It’s more feminine energy, fluid and flowing, defying measurement.

We have forgotten our heart in the pursuit of our doing.

You are the heart of your family.

You are the human heart of your family, community, or workplace. Treat and love yourself first and keep yourself whole.

There’s no guilt, there’s no sorrow, there’s no grief or shame.

Only you, radiating love from your heart that expands to everyone. The best blood needs to go into you and it will make such a difference to those around you.

I found the Divine within my heart. — Rumi

When the heart is open and vulnerable, magic happens. Love flows through our physical container, out into the world.

Love is your first language. In the womb, your survival depends on your mother’s nurturing care. The physical connection is obvious, but not the energetic cord that binds two souls together.

Love is God’s first language. In the deep, infinite silence of your inner self, God speaks in waves of love. There may be words that form, but you know when you receive a “knowingness” from within. That is Divine Love speaking to you.

Babies and young children know how to communicate with Divine Love. They have not yet learned the words that separate their essence from their beingness.

Listen to your heart

Have you heard the story about the little boy who welcomed his baby sister?

One night, after the baby was asleep and her parents were settling into bed, they heard their son talking to his sister on the baby monitor.

“You can’t play yet, can you?” His small, high pitched voice was soft and gentle. His parents held hands and held their breath. There was no telling what would come next.

He sighed deeply, as genuine as only a 4 year old can. “Please tell me you can still talk with God,” he whispered urgently.

His Mom and Dad looked at each other, and they both quietly got out of bed to see what their son was doing. They stood in the doorway and watched as he sat next to the crib and leaned his head against the rails. The world seemed to stand still and he stood next to his sister, holding her hand.

“You’ll have to remind me how to talk with God,” he finally continued. “Because I am starting to forget.”

When was the last time you heard your heart speak?

How to hear your heart

For many years, I never bothered to listen to my heart speak. The messages from my mind overwhelmed me and they seemed so insistent that I couldn’t turn away.

But then I hit a wall of my own creation. My burnout was extreme and I didn’t know the person looking back at me in the mirror.

I had to find another way to be in the world.

That’s when I discovered meditation and mindfulness. I began learning how to be mindful throughout the day, to stop and appreciate the small moments of life. I began a meditation practice and have continued it daily.

And I began creating meditations to help others. I discovered that when I allowed my heart to speak through the meditation, I felt connected to God and the person listening.

If you have never meditated before, I created a 21 day course that is gentle, effective, and will help you begin your practice. For a minimal amount of time and money, you can become a meditator.

Even if you just start reading more about mindfulness, your heart will begin to open.

We are not meant to live from our minds. Being human means experiencing and expressing the heart and spirit in your life. Whether through journaling, creating, or simply noticing.

As you expand your inside world, it can’t help but impact your exterior world.

Blessings,

Kathryn

Hello Empowered Wayers!

One of my favorite authors is David Michie, who writes the charming book series, “The Dalai Lama’s Cat” and nonfiction books such as “Buddhism for Busy People.” I have read almost all of his books, but the one that captivated me was “Instant Karma: The Day it Happened.”

Instead of a book review, I want to give you enough information so you read it yourself. The concept of karma is as old as Buddhism, but it has never been explained inside a story that makes you want to practice bodhichitta or loving kindness towards others.

You have to experience it for yourself.

Key Concepts

Michie is a captivating storyteller as he teaches basic concepts of Buddhism. For example, in a scene where Lama Tashi, the monk who is central to the story, is teaching his students about karma, this information is shared:

Karma is the law of cause and effect. The four general aspects of karma are:

* Results reflect the causes;

* Karma increases;

* There can be no results without first creating causes; and

* Every action brings a definite result.

The scene moves from theory to experience, and the plot of the book is set in motion with these words:

The great paradox is that if we truly wish for transformation, for ultimate fulfillment, we must shift our focus from self to others. In giving, we truly do receive.”

The concept of karma seems farfetched until you realize that two people can have diverse experiences from the same event. Why? Because each person on the planet creates their own reality, from their subjective experience. The moment you realize that you determine what you experience is the moment of freedom.

What does reality creation have to do with karma?

You are the cause of what you experience. When you cultivate the cause for another, you will experience it for yourself. As Lama Tashi states, “What we do for [others], we will experience it for ourselves.”

What does this mean in real life?

Remember when you did something for another person, not expecting anything in return? That is an example of positive karma. If you did the same thing, but your motivation was to manipulate or judge, it would be negative karma.

As Lama Tashi explains in the book, there are four factors that impact the strength and type of karma.

* the subject - the person doing the action;

* the intention - what that person intended to happen;

* the action itself, and

* the object - the person to whom the action is being done.

An example is spending $10 on a gift. If the person buying the gift did it out of a sense of obligation, it wouldn’t have the same strength as if he spent time buying the perfect gift.

The bottom line is this: whatever you wish for, give it to others first. Without attachment to the outcome. Become the cause of happiness, joy, abundance, and patience for others. You are creating the cause for these states of being for yourself. In Buddhist language, this is called bodhichitta. It is the deep desire for others to free from dissatisfaction, suffering, and pain, so they can enjoy well-being.

Conclusion

I can’t help but wonder what would happen if more people started practicing bodhichitta instead of participating in protests, insisting they have been wronged, or starting wars? The shift in perspective from “me,” “myself,” and “I” to the well-being of others, including ourselves, opens the way for compassion and love.

The idea that we are separate from each other dissolves in the light of love. All beings are connected and impact each other. Wishing for the enlightenment of every living being is the highest achievement we could ever accomplish. The ripple effects are life changing.

“Instant Karma” is fictional, but the story teaches valuable lessons on how to live a life you create intentionally and deliberately.

May you experience satisfaction and curiosity about these ideas and explore them for yourself.

Blessings,

Kathryn

Hello Empowered Wayers!

The following article was first published on Medium in Know Thyself, Heal Thyself. I wrote it at a time that felt chaotic and uncertain. Now, the message of self-love is more urgent, as we stand on the edge of change at all levels of society.

I share it with you now to ignite the spark of self-love in yourself. The world changes when you see it with love, not from your ego. Discover this truth for yourself and pass it on - it’s the only way the world will change.

Imagine what would happen to the world if everyone said “I love you.” Not to another person. But to themselves.

The radical nature of self-love would be unleashed, old wounds would be healed, and you would no longer carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Instead, your joy would radiate out, captivate everyone who came in contact with you, and inspire them to practice self-love.

It’s a radical approach, but when enough people are present to their inherent value and worth, it will change the world.

Why don’t we love ourselves?

You were trained at an early age to think of others before yourself. To make sure that your guests were comfortable and their needs met. To get good grades so your parents were proud of you.

Society and culture also contribute to the turning away. Happiness is promised when the new phone or car is purchased. Fulfillment will happen when you land your dream job. Society never says to find and love yourself first before looking to the outside world. Instead, you were taught that to love yourself is selfish and should be avoided.

The result of society’s teachings is a high rate of depression, suicides, and aggressive behavior. When we ignore the divine light within us, we become disconnected from our source. Disconnection is always the first step towards self-loathing, playing it safe, and giving up.

Instead, learn to love yourself completely.

Connect to an energy greater than you and nurture it in your awareness. As your consciousness expands to begin creating as this greater energy, your life will pivot from fear and depression to love and joy.

You can only give what you have. If you despise yourself or believe you aren’t worthy, you will never be able to give to others more than what you have given to yourself.

We accept the love we think we deserve.

— From “Perks of Being a Wallflower”

Now is the time to love yourself

You have a choice. Either accept society’s teaching that self-love is selfish, or expand your heart space by loving yourself.

You stand on the brink of that choice in every moment of your life. With each inhale of your breath and exhale, you make the choice. You choose between love or fear.

Have so much love in you that it spills out into the world.

As you heal yourself from the illusion of separation, your thoughts, beliefs, words, and actions will spring from connection. The impact of loving yourself will change your world.

Two Daily Practices to Self-Love

For the next seven days, say “I love you” to yourself at least 10 times an hour. By the end of each day, assuming you are awake for 16 hours, you will have told yourself that you are loved 160 times. Do that over a period of seven days and by the end, you will have told yourself that self affirming message 1,120 times!

It’s powerful to stand in front of a mirror, look deeply into your eyes, and say with feeling, “I love you.” When you want to look away, be focused on your eyes. Try to see into their depths until you see the spark of love that is your birthright. That spark is your connection to divine love.

The second daily practice is about gratitude. As soon as you wake up, set the intention that you will see gratitude in everything. No matter what happens to you during the day, gratitude will be your first response. You can even remind yourself by saying, “I am grateful this happened.”

Being grateful is a powerful energy that carries you forward. When gratitude is combined with love, more of the same are attracted to you. You become a love-gratitude magnet and you can’t help but create and share from these affirming energies.

When you step into self-love and know that you are here for a reason, the doubts and fears you have carried for so long dissolve. You become the optimistic, fearless creator of your life, which in turn impacts the world.

Love yourself and you heal the world.

Blessings,

Kathryn

P.S. SelI am a best-selling author, Spiritual Wealth Coach for Women, and creator of online wealth courses. I write about the intersection of spirituality, energy, and the human experience. My latest book is “The Money Tree: Transform Scarcity Thinking to Empowered Wealth Consciousness.” Learn more at EmpoweredWay.com.

Hello Empowered Wayers -

As you read and listen to this post, please ask yourself, “What is my mind saying now?” Notice whether your mind is judging or telling you to move on to the next thing. Before you click away, take that long, slow, deep breath in and fill your lungs. Hold it, then release slowly.

Notice your mind now - has it calmed down? If not, repeat the breath cycle and notice again.

Your mind is your best friend and worst enemy. It can guide you in a growth path and when a small pebble is stuck in your shoe, it screams at you for going this way. When you step back to look at your mind, you begin to see the inconsistencies, chaos, and judgment it uses to control you.

What does this have to do with abundance? Everything.

What levers have you pulled to create your life?

Your mind is a tool for you, as consciousness, to use to create in the world of time and space. The problem is that you (and everyone else) has elevated the mind from a tool to the creator.

You may not believe me, but once the curtain is pulled back and you begin to connect the dots, you will see differently. Once you know the secret of creating a life you love, you can’t un-know it.

My mission is to pull back that curtain so you can see the levers you have used to create your life. You have “miscreated,” whenever you see lack, limitation, and scarcity. The same levers can be used to create abundance, prosperity, and peace in your finances.

The key is to remember you pull the levers, not the government, your parents, or your best friend. You decide whether to pull the lever of lack or abundance. It may not seem to be directly linked, but you will see the connection when you are ready.

How do you know which lever you pulled? Look at the results in your life. Trace the scarcity you see in the outside world back to your orignal thought (i.e., lever), and it will always be about something you don’t have. When you make that connection between scarcity thinking and your life, you can never unsee it.

No matter how stuck you are, now depressed about your finances, I am here to share good news: There is another way to create your life!

Introducing the Abundance Formula

That’s why I wrote the ebook, “The Abundance Formula: How to Peacefully Create Abundant Wealth.” It’s a short read with deep potential to transform your life.

As my loyal readers, you are the first to know about it. Please give me feedback and comments as you begin to use the Abundance Formula in your life.

I can’t wait to hear from you!

Blessings,

Kathryn

Thank you for reading Empowered Way. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Happy New Year!

I am so excited for what this year will bring to you, my devoted fans. I am expanding my offerings and you will be the first to learn about the new opportunities!

For today, though, I want to revisit one of my main themes - the difference between men and women when they define success.

What are the differences?

The following general observations are mine alone. As I have shared them, the confirmation of their accuracy has been overwhelming.

Men are more focused on the tangible goals and physical things that show they have reached their peak. It’s an outward-focused mentality that serves men well, because it plays to their strengths.

Women tend to be more inward focused and defined by relationships. Emotions and intuition play a powerful role in the decisions women make about success, wealth and money. It’s an inward-focused approach that plays to a woman’s strengths.

Conflicts occur when a woman explains her decision is based on intuition or a “gut feeling.” Her inward based decision cannot be explained to an audience who wants to see metrics, data points and tangible designs.

The same conflict also appears in money conversations. Men look to bank balances, debt ratio and return on investment to support their financial decisions. Women can certainly adopt that approach, but it never feels natural.

And for many women, money is a mystery that they would rather not have to face. Feminine qualities such as intuition, emotional intelligence and collaboration are not recognized or honored in the masculine model of money.

Neither the masculine or feminine perspective is right or wrong. You need to access both when moving forward with a project or saving for a purchase. The difficulty arises when one person insists on using only one type of energy, to the dismissal or derision of the other.

Why I created Empowered Way

I grew up in a household of boys, one who is my twin brother. Masculine energy dominated the strategies, activities, and purpose of everything. I always felt as if I was living as an alien in a strange world :-)

It wasn’t until I left my legal practice (another male dominated world) and became a writer, speaker, and coach, that I discovered a new way to create money and wealth. I tapped into my feminine powers and became a Sacred Money Archetype Coach.

The transformation in my own finances was amazing, but it was my clients who inspired me. They courageously changed their Money Stories, aligned their values with financial decisions, and became empowered. It was a beautiful process to behold!

Let’s Talk

I offer a free, 30 minute Zoom session so we can explore what you may need and how I may help.

Here’s to your prosperity in the new year!

Kathryn

Hello Empowered Wayers!

Thank you for being here, opening these emails and commenting.

At the end of each year, I do a review of what I created, what I learned, and what I can improve. So here goes:

* I posted consistently on this platform and my readership has grown :-)

* The same cannot be said for social media :-(

* I walked the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral and it changed my life :-)

* My daughter got married and I now have a son-in-law :-)

* I walked among the Standing Stones outside of Aberdeen, Scotland and wasn’t transported to Outlander :-) and :-(

So many wonderful experiences and insights about myself and my place in the world.

What is Reconciliation?

The word “reconcile” means “to bring back together, to accept, to harmonize.” As Mark Nepo, a philosopher and poet, describes reconciliation in his book, Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: Staying Close to What is Sacred:

Being human, we are constantly broken apart by experience.

To reconcile our humanness means we are ever learning how to

accept our suffering and to restore our Wholeness.

When you hold onto your past and use it to filter the present moment, you tend to recreate the same thing. Instead of seeing fresh possibilities and opportunities, the past becomes the lens through which you interpret the present moment.

“I can never make money online, I tried and it didn’t work.”

“I’m destined to be alone.”

“I hate my job, but what else can I do?”

Instead of repeating the past, why not reconcile it with your present state of being?

How to Reconcile the Past and Create in the Present

When I realized that my suffering and anxiety were all created in my mind, it felt as if a heavy weight was lifted. The veil of illusion dissolved and I discovered that I was here to experience the range and depth of emotions of being human.

When I wrote my first novel, “Heart Dancing: A Story Alchemy Adventure,” I embedded a five step process of reconciliation in the story. I named the process “Story Alchemy” because the old story is transformed from lead to gold.

A short summary of the steps are:

1.     Recognize-when you are living inside a story that you created. Awareness is always the first step, because you can never change what you are blind to in each moment. To help you recognize your limiting stories, remind yourself that “All events are neutral, until I give them meaning.” This statement reminds you that you created the meaning.

2.     Realize–it all begins with you. You are the source of the stories you create. Since you are the creator, you can change those stories that no longer serve you. Since all events are neutral, there are multiple choices about their meaning.

3.     Responsibility–when you look at why you believed that way (instead of this way) about someone or something, you made a choice. No one else made that choice. It’s up to you to make a different choice if you want to live a different life. As you take responsibility for the stories you created, ask yourself if you know the backstory of the people involved. When you can honestly say that you don’t know all the factors and you realize that the other person was acting from their stories, a space opens to reframe your story.

4.     Reframe–there is always a different interpretation of the event or person. Ask if your story is based on love or fear. If your previous story was based on fear, you will never discover love in that version. Reframe the events to reflect love and you will free yourself from the past. You may have to love yourself for creating the old story, but that’s ok, because now you know you are the creator.

5.     Release–the story you created served its purpose and now it is time to let it go. Forgiveness is essential. The release isn’t from what the other person did or said; it’s when you release the old story and create a new one that you can move forward.

Try it for yourself.

Take one story that you still tell yourself and run it through the five steps of Story Alchemy. Write down the old story in detail and name the emotions attached to it. Then go through the first three steps of Story Alchemy (recognize, realize, and responsibility) and allow yourself to observe the story from a neutral view. Pretend the old story is a specimen you have found that you are examining. Make a note of your insights and perceptions.

Take a break before you dive into Step four - Reframe. Shake off the stale energy from the old story and drink some water. When you return to Story Alchemy, you want your energy to be clear and clean. Create your new story and feel it’s power. Write it down and memorize it, so that when your mind throws up the old story, you can substitute the new version that empowers you.

Rinse and Repeat.

Please let me know how this process works for you. And Happy New Year!

Blessings,

Kathryn

Hello Empowered Wayers -

When I was growing up, I loved to read. Adventure, mysteries, and historical fiction were my favorites.

Now that I am a Woman’s Wealth Coach, my bookshelves are filled with books about abundance, energy, and prosperity. One of my favorite books is “A Happy Pocket Full of Money” by David Cameron Gikandi.

Please take a moment and listen to today’s podcast. I hope you can feel the energy of my passion to be the catalyst for your awakening.

Please share this episode with as many people as you can — it’s time to raise humanity’s vibration. One person at a time.

Blessings,

Kathryn

Hello Dear Ones!

Today we explore how we view the world through the narrow slice of our reality. It’s almost as if everyone is living from inside their bubble. It’s a big topic and one that holds true for every person on the planet.

Allow me to share my thoughts and perhaps you will gain a new appreciation for a larger view.

The Elephant and the Blind Men

A parable that is as old as time describes reality from our personal perspective. Three blind men come across an elephant. Each one explores and discovers parts of this huge animal, then declares they know what an elephant is.

* The first blind man holds the trunk and states with conviction, “It is like a snake.”

* The second blind man wraps his arms around a leg and cries, “It is like a tree.”

* The third blind man holds the tail and declares, “It is like a rope.”

From their individual perspectives, each man is correct. But if they could see the larger truth - the elephant is all of these parts and one whole - their slice of reality would expand.

Plato’s Cave

The allegory of Plato’s Cave is symbolic of the experience of humans.

Prisoners lived their entire lives inside a cave, looking at the shadows on the wall. To entertain themselves, they gave each shadow a name and believed they understood their life. The problem is that the prisoners interacted with an illusion, not the real thing.

And so it is with us when we move through life unaware and unconscious.

Social Media and Echo Chambers

When you doom-scroll on your favorite social media platform, what you experience is a small slice of reality. The algorithms inherent in the app continue to feed you like kind or similar subjects and opinions. It happens over time and is very subtle. Soon, all you see are the memes and reels that continue to support your view of the world.

Haven’t you noticed that you are triggered by different opinions? You have trained your mind to accept one slice of reality while discarding anything that doesn’t fit. When you react to a new perspective (instead of respond), you are living your life as you have programmed your mind.

The Takeaway

Life is an amazing array of opportunities and possibilities.

You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? - Rumi

Your mind is the producer and director of what you call reality. You may declare an elephant is “like a snake” and never realize that you missed what is true. Or you believe shadows are real. Experiencing social media and not questioning or thinking about the opinions you absorbed is a prison you have created.

When you tell yourself, “I am open to new ideas,” your mind searches for them. When you say to yourself, “I am right and will defend my position,” you mind searches for things to defend. As you remain locked in a narrow perspective, you are still in your bubble.

But life is so much more.

Step out of your bubble of reality and learn something new. Listen and appreciate a different viewpoint without getting defensive. Allow your energy to settle and meditate. Share a meal with another person who looks different than you.

The garden of the world has no limits, except in your mind. - Rumi

Remember, you - the essence of you - directs your mind. Be still and listen to the essence of you and you will discover a new, grander perspective of life.

To your essence blooming,

Kathryn

Hello Empowered Wayers!

Stories are the latest marketing technique.

“Tell a story that hooks your reader,” advises one popular marketer.

“Your buyer is looking for an emotional reason to buy. A story gives it to them.”

All true statements, but why do stories work so well? Is it because we’re gullible and easily drawn into the message? That may be true, but there are other reasons based on neurology and evolution.

The story is the best way to hook your reader because their brains are wired for it.

We are Wired for Story

Lisa Cron is a story consultant for Warner Brothers, an instructor at UCLA Extension Writer’s Program, and the author of, “Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers From the Very First Sentence.”

Each chapter shares a Cognitive Secret and a Story Secret. For example, in the first chapter, Cron explains that:

* Cognitive Secret: we think in stories, which allows us to envision the future.

* Story Secret: from the very first sentence, the reader must want to know what happens next.

As you can imagine, Cron has a fluid writing style and shares many stories about her clients and experiences. She believes that:

Story…was crucial to our evolution — more so than opposable thumbs; opposable thumbs let us hang on; story tells us what to hang on to.

Cron focuses on the latest research in the field of neurology and evolutionary science to support her theory that we are “wired for story.” (Side note: the book was published in 2012, so the research isn’t current.)

A compelling story anesthetizes the part of the brain that knows it’s a story. As you read, you feel as if you are part of the action. Brain studies have discovered that the same regions of the brain that process physical sensations are activated when we are engrossed in a story.

There are two key concepts every writer must use

Because you (and your reader) are bombarded by an overwhelming amount of information, your brain developed the skill of casting you as the protagonist or hero. Every data bit is sorted from this perspective and your brain edits the experience to fit your existing persona.

The result is that through the story, your reader can experience a different life or perspective without having to live it. Your reader is always asking, “what does this story have to do with me?” When you connect with your reader through a well-crafted tale, they will feel as if they are part of the story.

That’s the high-level overview of the process.

The granular view includes two key concepts for writers:

* Story allows your reader to experience intense or meaningful experiences without having to live them. It’s almost like a dress rehearsal for the future.

* Readers always have the expectation that they will learn or experience something useful. Their subconscious mind is constantly asking, “What’s in it for me?”

When the story is used well, it provides information to the reader about how to navigate the world, in a way that slips past the inner critic. Your reader becomes part of the story and experiences many of the same transformations.

Share your favorite articles that use story well

Substack and Medium are filled with excellent writers who understand the use of story to illustrate a point, teach a lesson, or entertain. I am always on the lookout for these writers, so I can learn from them and become a better storyteller.

Think about when you are captivated by a story. Could you feel your attention becoming laser-focused and your mind still as you fell into the story?

One example is the following article by Michael Thompson. Notice how you feel as you absorb more details, get drawn in deeper, and wonder, “what’s next?” After I read this article, I felt compelled to watch the video to see if I agreed with Michael (I did). That’s powerful storytelling!

How to Be the Best Kind of Drug

Don’t worry about collecting followers. Aim to be a creator people can’t think of a single reason to quit

medium.com

What are some of your favorite articles that use stories to captivate, energize, or educate?

The takeaway

I was at the airport the other day, renewing my Global Entry card. As I walked through the terminal, people were streaming out of customs. Families, couples, and a few single travelers.

I noticed one family that was struggling with their large suitcases. The mom was exhausted, the dad forging ahead, and it was up to the slightly older sister to help her younger brother. I gave her a thumbs up and she smiled at the acknowledgment. She even began dancing a few steps next to the suitcase, which made me laugh. An older couple saw this exchange and they smiled.

This quick story could be used to show that one act of kindness expands as other people notice it. Or it could be a feel-good story.

However I decide to use this story, I know that your mind could see the terminal, feel the exhaustion of the travelers, and the joy of the girl. You were drawn into the experience without having to live it. And hopefully, you felt that it was worth your time to read it.

Use the story to hook your reader and invite them into your world. As Jon Haidt, a psychologist at NYU-Stern says, “The human mind is a story processor, not a logic processor.”

Your reader’s mind is wired for the story. You are the creator who sparks their synapses anesthetizes their inner critic, and immerses them in your world.

To your prosperity,

Kathryn

P.S. If you are a writer and you have a specific process to create your stories, I would love to host you as a guest on the Empowered Way podcast. Let me know if you’re interested in the comment section below. :-)