Stories That Get Us Through
Stories remind us that we're not alone in tough times, even as they reveal what makes each journey unique. Think about it. Change (or the maddening lack of it) drives most of the books we love and the films that move us. It’s often at the heart of the conversations that we remember most.
“Stories of Change” is a picture book series where artist Larry Vigon and I explore ways of navigating tough changes with resilience. It's a sweet and relatable way to engage with what can be overwhelming as well as empowering.
There's a thread that connects these picture books to the conversations I have with executives navigating major work and life changes. Whether transitions come as shocks or long-awaited changes, what gets us through is staying connected to what matters while everything else shifts.
When I moved from the US to London and established Imaginal Ways, I discovered the themes I was exploring with clients facing retirement, empty nests, or career pivots were exactly what I'd been writing about. Change asks the same things of us whether we're eight or eighty: How do we hold onto ourselves while letting go of what was? How do we find solid ground when the familiar disappears?
My Substack newsletter, Stories of Change, began as a way to share the book Bean and Bubbles Together, the real-life story of two unlikely companions, cats who find their way together through difficult upheaval. After a year's pause in posting, while I navigated my own international transition, I’m now expanding Stories of Change to explore the wider currents of change and resilience that touch all of us.
Now with renewed energy to post more regularly, I’ll be adding stories about people who've discovered unexpected paths through career stresses or retirement. Inspirations about how a new or renewed creative process can be revitalizing. Recommendations for books and films with the same theme that runs through my approach to coaching at Imaginal Ways and my message in Bean and Bubbles Together—we all need connection to find the courage to begin again.
So whether you're sitting with the uncertainty of your own crossroads or reading a picture book with a grandchild, the invitation remains the same: trust the process, stay connected to what grounds you, and remember that the best transitions happen when we stop rushing past the uncomfortable parts.
Join the conversation at Stories of Change. It’s free to subscribe. Posts will explore the art and practice of getting through life's turning points with curiosity rather than certainty, and with greater intention rather than waiting to react to what happens.
Individual copies of Bean and Bubbles Together are available at Mixam or Amazon.com. If you’re considering donating ten or more copies to a charity or non-profit organisation, please contact me directly at Info@imaginalways.com for large order discounts.
Photo courtesy of Chris Lawton
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These resources offer valuable perspectives, but nothing replaces a thoughtful conversation about your specific situation.
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