When people hear the word storytelling , they often picture writers, filmmakers, or speakers standing on a stage. It sounds creative. Optional. Even indulgent. But storytelling is not a creative luxury.  It is a life skill. In fact, you already use storytelling skills every single day, whether you realize it or not. When you explain why you are late to a meeting, you are telling a story. When you convince a coworker to try a new approach, you are telling a story. When you hel

Storytelling has never been just about being on stage for me. It is a way of seeing, connecting, and understanding the world around me. Over the years, I have had the chance to help thousands of people, from theater audiences to corporate teams, discover their voices and connect through the stories they carry. What I love most about storytelling is how personal it can be. I have taught crew members on cruise ships, coached leaders in boardrooms, and worked with students and e

I woke up in the hallway of the Waikiki Holiday Inn at 3 in the morning, completely naked.  This is the start of a story I tell about sleepwalking out of my hotel room one night on vacation. It’s the start of a journey, not just about what I did, but about who I am.  Every story has two layers: what happened — and what it’s really about.  Most storytellers stop at the surface, focusing on events, actions, and outcomes. But if you want your story to resonate, you need to go de

My dad spent his career as a Pedodontist, treating children from infancy through early adulthood.  Part of his job was to inspire and motivate the kids that were his patients. And part of his job (potentially a bigger part) was motivating and inspiring their parents to encourage good oral hygiene habits at home.  In doing so, he discovered (and taught me) some important lessons. Including this: people won’t change until they come to the decision to change on their own. And ho

Ever feel stuck when given a storytelling prompt? You hear something like “out on a limb”  and your mind immediately jumps to the obvious or literal ideas. Maybe you think of climbing a tree, taking a risky bet, or doing something crazy. The method I use to generate multiple story ideas from a single prompt is called “Exploding the Prompt.” Step 1: Start with the Obvious Begin by writing down the first few ideas that pop into your head, even if they seem boring, cliché, or “b

Have you ever thought, “Who would want to hear my story?”  Maybe you feel like your experiences are too ordinary, too small, or too messy to matter. I’m here to tell you something important: your story matters.  Not someday, not maybe—it matters right now. Here’s the thing: every single person you meet is craving connection. They want to laugh, cry, learn, or just nod along thinking, “Yeah, me too.” And the amazing part? Your story could be the very thing that does that for s