Storytellers of Hope

In May 1954, Anne and Carl Braden bought a house for Charlotte and Andrew Wade, an African American couple, in a segregated suburb of Louisville, KY. Shortly after the Wades moved in, segregationists burned a cross on their lawn and shot out their windows. Six weeks later, they dynamited the house. In October, Anne and Carl and five other white people were charged with sedition. While the charges against Anne were dropped, Carl was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In the end, he served 8 months before his conviction was overturned.

The Bradens were not the only white people committed to direct action against white supremacy in the 1950s, but Anne was a journalist and she understood the power of stories. So she documented the ordeal in her book, The Wall Between.

By the time The Wall Between found its way into my hands, 40 years had passed, but her words inspired me to become an agent of change. As a young man in his 20s, reading her book felt intimate, like I was listening to an elder share her wisdom with me on how to become a person of substance in difficult times. It was a story of hope.

It took decades for the political right to overcome the hope generated by the Civil Rights Movement. But, skillfully and tactfully, they were ultimately able to concentrate the sources of story in the hands of the very few, which changed the tenor of how we speak with one another and has brought us to the moment we are now facing.

This recent election was decades in the making, meaning if we want a different future, we need new storytellers of hope.

Reframing Our Potential

We all live with core beliefs that ‌shape our perceptions and behaviors, influencing our mental health and interactions. Limiting core beliefs hinder what we can imagine because they foster feelings of helplessness or powerlessness. Empowering core beliefs serve as a foundation for resilience and personal growth. And these beliefs create self-fulfilling prophecies where our actions align with our expectations. Discerning which beliefs limit our potential (and challenging them) and which beliefs empower our potential (and nurturing them) is essential for living through anxious times.

In both situations, these beliefs are learned perspectives, and they can be unlearned. Having the ability and space to self-reflect on what beliefs are holding us back and what beliefs empower us gives us the opportunity to reframe the potential of our lives. This isn’t about positive thinking alone. It is about critically examining the evidence for and against the beliefs, often hidden or unexplored, that guide our lives.

When we engage in the active process of rewriting our story, we’re not just changing our thoughts, we’re reshaping our identity, our future, and even our biology. There is mounting evidence that each time we challenge a limiting belief or nurture an empowering belief, we create new neural pathways that open the possibilities for growth and change. (brain sciences)

Rewriting our stories is a powerful act of self-creation.

From Self-Reflection to Storytelling

As a first step, we might begin by journaling and asking ourselves to find the validity and origin of the feelings we are experiencing. Using questions like, “What evidence supports this belief?” and “Is this belief helping or hindering me?” can be a good way to start.

But when we share with others, we evolve the process from self-reflection into storytelling. By sharing our exploration of what feels limiting, we not only reinforce our new narrative, we inspire others with our example. Our stories have the power to validate other people’s experiences and provide a roadmap for their own growth. By sharing your story, you are not just changing your own narrative; you’re potentially changing the narratives of those around you.

Psychologist Dr. Robert Holden writes, “The relationship you have with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” Making the decision to share how you confront limiting beliefs and nurture empowering ones can have a ripple effect. By embodying the change you wish to see, you become a living example of what's possible, silently challenging others to question their own limitations and strive for personal growth.

The Moment Everything Changed

All of this sounds good in theory, but let’s test it out.

Below, you’ll find a framework outlining how to write an empowering story. I invite you to use it to rewrite a story as an act of self-creation. If you are willing, please read your story to another person. This second step, reading to another person, is more important than you can imagine. It takes your story out of the personal experience and brings it into the world, creating the possibility of change in others. It becomes a story of hope.

[This framework replicates some of how I write sermons, but much of it comes from The Story Grid technique developed by Shawn Coyne. If you want to tell better stories, I cannot recommend his work enough.]

Start Here: The Moment Everything Changed

Think of this as the spark that lit the fire. Maybe it was a comment someone made, or a time you couldn't do something you wanted to do, or just waking up one morning feeling stuck. Write about that moment when you first realized something needed to change.

• What were you doing when you first noticed?
• How did it feel in your body?
• What thoughts went through your mind?
• Who else was there?

The Weight Gets Heavier

This is where you explore how this limitation started affecting your life. Let yourself be surprised by what comes up.

• What did you start avoiding?
• What stories did you tell yourself about why you couldn't change?
• How did these limitations ripple out into other parts of your life?
• What made it feel impossible to change?

The Question You Can't Ignore

We all reach a point where we have to face ourselves honestly. This is often uncomfortable, but it's where real transformation begins. Write about the moment you had to decide if you would stay stuck or try something new.

• What made you realize something had to change?
• What felt scary about changing?
• What felt scary about staying the same?
• What different paths forward could you see?

Taking the Leap

This is where your story pivots. Write about the moment you decided to see things differently or take a new action. Sometimes this is a big dramatic moment, but often it's a quiet decision we make when we're alone.

• What new perspective or action did you choose?
• What gave you the courage to make this choice?
• What did you have to let go of?
• What did you decide to believe instead?

A New Way of Being

Here's where you get to paint a picture of what's possible now. Be specific this helps make the transformation real both for you and the person you'll share it with.

• What can you do now that felt impossible before?
• How do you feel different?
• What's one concrete example of how this change shows up in your life
• What do you want to remind yourself about this transformation?

When you read your story to someone else, and I really encourage you to do this part, you're not just telling a story. You're declaring who you're becoming. This isn't about crafting perfect sentences. It's about honestly exploring how you're choosing to transform something that once limited you into something that now empowers you.

Take your time with this. Read it over a few times before sharing it. Let yourself feel the weight of each part. And remember by sharing this story, you're not just changing your own narrative. You're showing someone else what's possible in their own life.

Sharing the Wisdom

A few years after I read The Wall Between, Anne Braden came to Boston to speak at a conference, but the day after, I was invited to a quiet living room for an intimate gathering of activists and storytellers. I arrived on time, which meant I was late, and all the spots in the chairs and couches were taken. So I sat cross-legged at her feet as she spoke, realizing I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I still imagine myself sitting at her feet.

This woman’s story helped me write and rewrite my story so many times over the years. She is still guiding me as I write to you today.

This is the power of storytelling.