Season 3: Episode 1 – What\’s Your Story

 

Over a busy year, I build up a pile of books in the hopes of reading them. This hope is generally satisfied during the December break when I escape into the pages of fact and fiction, I love reading both as I’m journeyed by masterful story tellers to new places, thoughts, ideas and am introduced to new people and characters. This past December my pile included the Johnny Clegg autobiography, Scatterling of Africa.

It is an unfinished autobiography, and he is vivid story teller relating his history, moments in time and people in his life. As we embrace a new year with new opportunity and uncertainty, it strikes me that we have an opportunity to actively write the 2022 chapter of our own autobiographies. 

What characters will your story include this year? Will there be opportunities to meet new people who will bring fresh dimensions to your social circle? Interesting people who have their own story to tell and can add some excitement to yours. Will you write some people out of your story this year? Any good story has progression with time and even main characters find themselves being regulated to cameo roles. Personally, I’m hoping to be my own leading role this year, supported by other strong characters that will keep the storyline bold and exciting!

Good stories use time. The ebb and flow of minutes, hours and days. Let’s use our time wisely. As we figure out the new normal for 2022, let’s actively engage a healthy balance and make time management part of our daily narrative. It’s not always that easy when your story is in the middle of an action scene, but remember great stories also know when to push pause.

Most memorable stories have an element of conflict, from hard times and difficult people to other elements of adversity. Let’s mentally prepare ourselves for the conflicts that will play out in our story this year. As the lead character, we don’t have to win at all costs, sometimes the best stories see a defeated hero stand up and dust themselves off.

Raising the stakes keep the momentum in a story. Good stories aren’t boring, they have dull moments, but know that these are there as buffers between the action. Let’s keep raising the stakes, this allows us to be 10 percent better than we were last year. It forces us to look for new opportunities and revisit old ones to maximise the value. Great stories don’t rely on re-runs, they create new episodes or chapters.

Great stories use symbols as metaphors. What will be the symbolic moments in this year’s chapter? A new car, a hobby, the changing garden outside your window or the success of those around you. These are all symbols that can add to your story and make it more interesting. 

Lastly, masterful storytellers use universal truths to make stories real and relatable. What will your truth for 2022 be? As we task ourselves for the year ahead enjoy the creativity, spontaneity and challenges that will fill the pages of your story. When in doubt, sit back and listen, there are stories all around. 

May 2022 be an exciting and prosperous chapter in your story.

Happy New Year from all of us at MediaHeads 360,

Candy

MediaHeads 360 Managing Director

 

 

Candy Dempers has loved all things media for the last twenty three years working as a sales and marketing specialist.

She has a special love for radio that has seen her contribute to the success of several prominent radio brands, guiding commercial clients to best use this impactful medium. Her role in the last four years has been as Managing Director of MediaHeads 360 where she leads an upwardly creative and innovative specialist media team. Having studied law and marketing, Candy was drawn to radio because of the way it builds relationships and the engagement it offers clients.

On her 19 year passion of working in radio, Candy loves that \”radio sparks and stimulates real-time conversations that deliver instant results and feedback, time and time again.”.