Storytelling plays an important role in every culture and society. It is through stories that we communicate, learn and grasp the multifaceted nature of human experience. Beyond their social function, stories play a crucial role in shaping our internal narrative – the ongoing story we tell ourselves about who we are.

This narrative, formed from our beliefs, past experiences, and mental frameworks, profoundly influences our self-concept, our expectations for the future and our responses to new situations. As the Canadian Indigenous author Harold R Johnson asserted: “We are the stories we are told and we are the stories we tell ourselves.”

The narrative is not static but tends to be self-perpetuating. Every new experience we encounter is interpreted through the lens of our existing narrative. For instance, someone who sees themselves as resilient and capable will approach challenges with confidence and determination, increasing their chances of success or attributing failure to external factors rather than personal inadequacy. Conversely, someone whose narrative centres around failure and defectiveness may avoid risks and view setbacks as confirmation of their self-doubt. This cycle underscores the importance of being mindful of the stories we construct about ourselves. They can be empowering or debilitating, helpful or harmful.

Recognising that both our sense of who we are and much of what we do is based on the stories we tell ourselves, rather than an objective truth, is a critical step towards allowing us to change them. This recognition enables........

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