Sharing is caring, and apparently a lot more! Here are the benefits of sharing your personal trials and triumphs on your personal development journey.
We get it, sharing intimate details of your life isn’t for everyone – but there are significant benefits for those who feel comfortable enough to do so. This is why OYNB is built around the cornerstone of community, and we encourage you to utilise the power of sharing your stories with one another in our online communities.
Each person’s why’s, experience of the challenge itself and the outcomes they seek will differ, but each story, no matter the details, is inspiring. It is the pursuit of personal growth and there will be elements of each individual tale that resonate heavily with others on the same journey, or arguably more importantly, those who haven’t yet embarked on their own alcohol-free challenge quite yet.
The importance of storytelling
Humans are fundamentally curious creatures and we often find watching and hearing about the behaviours of others fascinating – why do you think reality TV has been such a hit? And there are opportunities to learn major life lessons from the actions of others, whether it is what to do, or what not to do…!
But equally, there are benefits for you as the storyteller too, whether it involves you writing it down on paper, or speaking to others directly, you are offered the opportunity to reinforce all you have learned by explaining it to someone else.
The benefits of sharing stories
An opportunity to reflect
We have discussed the importance and benefits of reflection here on the blog before, and storytelling offers us the perfect opportunity to do exactly this. It allows you to go back to the beginning and really visualise how far you have come and the progress you have made. Whether you are still on the road to your end goal, or you feel you have achieved it, you will have made progress that you can be proud of. You can then go on, using this as motivation for your next goal – or equally, use this time of reflection to cement some of the lessons you have learned, or identify new directions for your own self-improvement.
Teachable moments
Bringing other people on this timeline with you allows them to see a little snapshot of what could be possible for them to achieve should they want to, and learn from any secrets to success you have learned along the way. It also offers them a sneak peak at some of the pitfalls or challenges that they may have to overcome, allowing them to prepare or develop strategies to avoid these.
An inspiring beacon
You may feel your story through your alcohol-free journey may be rather ordinary, but to someone else who resonates with your story, your life could be truly extraordinary. It could be this action of sharing that inspires them to make positive changes to benefit themselves or those around them. We hear so often that it is the success stories and testimonials of others published on our blog that sparks the idea for others to start their own alcohol-free challenge. Your lives, your sharing, your vulnerability is what helps others to cross the murky waters to change their relationship with alcohol. Again, this can be such a valuable experience for both you and whoever could be listening to your journey.
An unbreakable bond
Letting someone else into your own little world in order to understand what you have had to go through to become who you are can mean a deeper connection and bond can develop. Many individuals going through the OYNB alcohol-free challenge make friends for life as they discover parallels in the experiences of others. Being able to identify with someone on such a level and validate one another – especially when sharing experiences tied into a lot of emotion – can create incredibly strong friendships. This only reinforces the support network and connections you can utilise on your pursuit of personal growth.
Want to try it for yourself?
There are many ways in which you can begin to share your story with others! Get chatting with friends, family or colleagues about what you have set out to achieve. Share your daily challenges and accomplishments with others in our online communities. Email us to tell us about how you have found your experience – you can even submit a testimonial of your own for our blog!
An entrepreneur and former senior oil broker, Ruari gave up drinking after excessive consumption almost cost him his marriage, and worse, his life. Going alcohol-free improved his relationships, career and energy levels, leading to him founding OYNB to provide a support network for others.
