The Magic of Storytelling - November 2024 Blog

 

This first blog post is dedicated to you, Nigel. I am truly going to miss you regaling us with stories in the lunchroom.

 

G’day Folks!

Have you ever sat back, marveling at not only a brilliant story, but the way the storyteller tells it? Not everyone is a fantastic storyteller, able to weave the tale around you, and make you feel as though you were there, amongst it. My Gran’ma used to do this when she read stories to myself and my sister, and I think that is where my fascination with storytelling began.

Every now and then, you meet one of these enchanters and are treated to a magnificent story. My advice is to always stop and listen, even if it means having to extend your 30-minute lunch break by a few extra minutes (consequences be damned!). Nigel is one of these storytellers. With each story he told about his life, it became apparent that there was far more to this smiling chap than first met the eye.  He’d lived, travelled, and worked across the globe and fearlessly rubbed shoulders with danger more times than he could count (though, in his typically humble way, he will tell you he was sweating bullets the entire time, and make a comedy of himself, to draw attention away from spotlighting the incredible successes of the conservation work he was undertaking). I do believe that if more people were like Nigel, humankind and the natural world would be much better for it.

Be grateful for the ‘Nigel’s’ in your life and try to be the ‘Nigel’ in other people’s lives. Treat people and animals with compassion and kindness; tread the earth humbly; follow your dreams and passions; greet people with a warm, “Hello!” and say goodbye with a cheery, “Ciao!”. Because, you just never know what brilliant stories and adventures that simple, “Hello!” may lead to.

People say, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”, and in my experience it is both. So many of my “lucky breaks” have been made with sheer determination (some may call it stubbornness or insanity), a passionate dream with no back up plan, early mornings, long days, and networking. Ah yes, that dreadfully overused and boring word. Networking. I should also add, that “being in the right place at the right time” is usually achieved by the aforementioned, and perhaps just a little bit of luck and help from the universe. This also feels like the time to add that we are given dreams for a reason. Chase them, because when you do, and you are on the right track, most often, things just seem to ‘magically’ fall into place… usually at the last minute. But that’s a tale for another blog! Back to, dare I say it, Networking.

Networking does not have to mean going to a fancy, organized, Networking Event. It does generally begin the same way, with a ‘Hello’, followed by asking and answering some questions. The secret, however, is actually being curious. My next piece of advice, always be curious in life. And, as my best friend taught me, listen to understand. Don’t approach a networking event or conversation with your thoughts screaming at you that you must make this connection, that you are doomed if you do not, and that this whole thing was a waste of time! In fact, don’t even let the dreaded word (networking) enter your mind! Simply approach the person with curiosity and no plan for where the conversation should go. Don’t try and wrestle it in one direction because it, more often than not, will become awkward and stilted. Let them tell their stories, listen enthusiastically, and ask genuine questions because you are simply CURIOUS. You will have far more fun, be far more relaxed, and make genuine connections with people. And may even get invited to see your first opera performance!

I have approached networking with both mindsets and trust me when I say that the latter is far more enjoyable and productive. In fact, the best networking is done when you don’t even realise that you are networking! Perhaps I am just realising that by enthusiastically listening to Nigel’s stories, asking questions, and telling him my own, that teeeeechnically that is considered (dare I type it one more time) networking. (And if you google it, the definition is literally, "the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.")

Storytelling has been woven into the very fabric of our lives since the beginning of time. Perhaps I am just an extrovert, or perhaps it is my love for educating and connecting with people that has me sitting here, screaming into the void of the internet, sharing a story. I have been overthinking and trying to force starting a blog for years now, but couldn’t quite figure out how to start, or what to write about. And here I find myself typing out nearly 1000 words with ease! Whilst this story isn’t about wildlife, I do promise you there will be many wildlife stories to follow, with far too many exclamation points, and interspersed with my own musing about life.

If you have read this far, thank you. I hope you at least have been a little entertained by these meandering thoughts of mine and perhaps learned something along the way. This first blog post had no plan, it just sort of tumbled out, and I decided to run with it. Take a moment to reflect on all the people you are grateful to have met, and the stories shared. And take a moment to say hello to the cleaner, the person who serves you every week at your local farmers market, or the laundry volunteer. You never know what stories you might be treated to, or what kind of wonderful community lies right beneath your nose.

Until next time,

Ella.

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