"Stories are a communal currency of humanity."
- Tahir Shah, in Arabian Nights
Most people think they need better words. Or learn to put those words together in a more eloquent, memorable, resonant way.
What they generally need is better material.
When we're asked to talk about ourselves, who we are and what we do, we tend to reach for what's easiest to access: our roles, titles, achievements, and credentials. The stuff that goes on business cards, LinkedIn profiles, email signatures, or your website bio.
Useful, certainly. But rarely meaningful. Or rather not very revealing.
The experiences that shaped us, the values we stand for, the moments that explain why we see the world the way we do often lie much deeper. Many don't arrive neatly packaged in words. They exist as memories, feelings, fragments, intuitions, somewhere inside us.
And because they're less accessible, harder to translate, they rarely make it into the conversation.
Or the website. Or the bio. Or the introduction.
You get the idea.
Flat as opposed to what?
Not long ago, I heard the expression:
"Your presentation fell flat."
And I found myself wondering:
Flat as opposed to what?
An image appeared in my mind.
A cardboard moving box.
The kind you buy when you're packing up your life and moving from one place to another.
There is the flat-pack version.
And there is the assembled, 3D version.
Ah.There it is.
The analogy I'd been looking for.
Most of us hand over the flat-pack.
It's what we have readily available. The summary.
We are have this multi-dimensional existence inside us and we hand out the flattened version.
Then we wonder why people don't quite "get" us.
Fair enough.
But what are we hoping for? That people will somehow unfold the flat pack that we reveal the full shape of us? With what instructions? Without access to the experiences, values, and stories that shaped us?
What Story of You is really about
This two-hour workshop was designed to frame the context of how stories and storytelling make up the stuff that expresses us outwardly. And with a guided visualisation, I'll invite you to uncover meaningful story-moments from your life and work, explore the values hidden inside them, and understand why those moments create connection in ways facts rarely do.
You won't leave with a polished pitch or a finished narrative but with something more valuable:
A clearer sense of what matters to you.
At least one meaningful story, or proof point, that you can continue developing.
A deeper understanding of the importance in the values that shape your choices.
And a new understanding of where authentic self-expression begins.
As I've learned, the goal is not to perfectly translate the complexity of a human life into a few words.
That's impossible.
Tough luck, right?
Instead the goal is to learn to go within, gather the pieces, uncover their meaning, and beginning to craft a new kind of expression. Neither 3D, nor flat-pack, a unique form, a work in progress, something that represents more of who we are.
What happens in the room
Over two hours, I'll guide you through a series of teaching, reflections, visualisations, writing exercises, and paired conversations.
Together we'll explore:
- How stories shape identity, perception, and meaning
- Multiple pathways into your values
- How to access meaningful story-moments from your own experience
- Why some stories create resonance and others don't
- What becomes possible when we communicate from meaning rather than summary
The workshop is intentionally interactive.
Because some things become visible only in relationship.
Many participants are surprised by what they discover when someone else listens carefully to a story they've never thought much about.
What you'll leave with
After two hours, you'll have:
- A clearer understanding of the stories already shaping your life
- Greater access to meaningful experiences you may have overlooked
- A deeper understanding of your values
- Several story-moments you can continue exploring
- A framework for finding more of them
One participant put it beautifully:
"I feel like I could write all night."
Not because she'd finished the work.
Because she'd discovered where the material lives.
This workshop is for you if
- You can feel the gap between who you are and how you come across.
- You struggle to talk about yourself without sounding generic, rehearsed, or incomplete.
- You have multiple interests, experiences, or identities and don't know how they fit together.
- You're navigating change and looking for a stronger sense of continuity.
- You know there's more depth to you than what currently comes across.
- You're curious about the stories and values that have shaped your life.
It is probably not for you if
You're looking for a formula, want someone to write your story for you, or are unwilling to explore the experiences that shaped you.
Curious about the flat-pack metaphor?
Register for the workshop
Wednesday June 17th, 10.30am ET | 3.30pm GMT | 4.40pm CET
Two-hours, on Zoom.
Previously delivered for: Career Women's Forum Geneva • The Marketing MeetUp • Soho House Berlin
What past participants say:
"It was insightful to see that our real values are not necessarily at the surface. We need to go deep down inside of ourselves to see them."
"Anne has the unique ability to act like a human mirror. She comprehends the essence of a person and reflects it back in a way that allows one to see it clearly."
★★★★★ — a perfect score from every participant who rated it.
FAQ's
The Story of You Fundamentals Workshop is delivered online via Zoom unless otherwise specified.
It's meant to be experienced live, so it's recommended to register only if you think you can make the live session.
An online course and a live cohort to support the exploration of Story of You will soon be on offer.
For further details including, head over to Le Trente's Luma calendar where you'll also find further opportunities for group work on Story of You, The Intention Hour, mindfulness and much more.
Discover the Story of You Methodology here.