When you tell your personal story out loud or in artistic form, it becomes you. It transforms you. And as you do this repeatedly, the stories you tell eventually become your identity.
On a larger scale, when a group of people gather to tell their stories together, those stories transform that group of people and become their identity.
Story becomes identity for both the individual and the community. You could also call this culture.
Conversely, when you listen to someone’s story, it affects you. You feel the emotions they feel as they tell it. When they smile, you smile. When they tear up, you tear up. Stories sway and influence others.
On a larger scale, one community’s stories can sway and influence other communities.
Therefore, story (culture) is influence, and influence is power (this is sometimes referred to as “soft power”, as opposed to the “hard” power of force or violence).
So…Are you feeling powerless, invisible, or like you have no influence over others?
Tell your story repeatedly (out loud or in artistic form).
Do it with your community.
It will become your collective culture.
It will change the world.