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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