Happy New Year, my friends!

The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on your story.

What story do you tell about yourself, your business, or your cause?  Is it clear?  Is it compelling?  Does it truly represent your mission and vision for the year ahead?

How do we unlock the power of a new year?  I recommend doing that by stepping outside your comfort zone.  You can choose to launch yourself into a new reality by working on your inner story first.  Each day, I recommend taking early morning time to do some spiritual practice — meditate, visualize, journal…

To boost your inner strength, I’ve made a commitment to serve more difference makers this year. I’m planning to start a “Storytelling for Nonprofits” group coaching group in the next few weeks.  It will serve as a guide and mastermind group to raise awareness, support and money.  If that’s something you’re interested in, let me know.

For the next 30 days, I’m also launching a “Story Tips” challenge.  Want to join me?  It’s free.  I’ll be sharing a quick 1-2 minute video tip on building your business through stories.  You can choose to share a tip from your business, and then post it in the Facebook group too.

For my tips, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel – https://YouTube.com/@LynnSanders.  in the Difference Makers Facebook group, you can participate at:  https://Facebook.com/DifferenceMakersMedia

Authentic storytelling is not just something that comes from Artificial Intelligence.  It comes from your heart and soul.  It’s true to just YOU. Of course, artificial intelligences is terrific as an assistant and springboard for your work.  But people also want to hear your inner stories.

And only YOU know all your stories and the lessons you learned from them.. waiting to be explored and shared with others.  

To begin, I’d like to share one of my earliest memories that reinforced my joy of storytelling.

I’ve been immersed in the world of storytelling for as long as I can remember.  My parents read stories to me constantly, and visiting the Chicago public library was always a treat.  I loved writing poetry because it was a fast way to capture a moment, a feeling, an idea.  Since I didn’t have paper handy most of the time, I’d scribble poems on paper napkins.  When I was about 7 years old, I eventually got a small notebook, which became my poetry journal.

One of my early poems was called, “The Wonderball,” and I was so proud of it!  My dad thought it was so good that it made me feel like a million dollars.  It was a fantasy poem about seeing into the future with a magician’s ball.  Now, many years later, I still love sharing stories in both my personal and business life.

Your Next Step for 2025?

Consider the story behind your “why.”  Why do you do what YOU do?

Take time this January to revisit and refine your “why.”

It’s the foundation of a powerful story, and it will guide your goals for the year ahead.

Here’s to your success,

Lynn