TAP Your Passover: The Key to It All

This is the week that Passover begins for those in our Jewish and Christian communities. The story of Passover is a powerful event that defines the narrative of these two religions.

The idea of passing over something always reminds me of playing dodgeball during recess in middle school. Two athletic students would self-select to create teams out of the remaining classmates. The goal was to build the best team and win the game. Of course, they always selected the athletic kids and passed over the not-so-athletic kids to create the best outcome.

In life, we get to choose our best experiences to create our narrative and pass over those experiences that no longer serve us.

For some reason many of us, myself included, spend time and energy on those things that don’t serve us. Things such as reliving how we felt when we weren’t picked for the dodgeball team. In my work as a counselor and coach, I’ve learned it is the stories in which we felt victimized by others’ actions, our ADHD, or circumstances beyond our control that tend to replay the most frequently. Rarely is it the story about how awesome we did at something.

By playing back stories where we underwhelmed ourselves or were victims we bind ourselves to those negative experiences when we should just allow them to pass over. Sure, that experience happened, but we have the power to learn from it, release it and move on.

Just like a religion’s narrative is a selection of stories, your personal narrative is about what you decide to keep and what you decide to leave behind. Tell a great story and live a great life.

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Right as Rain: Connections Through Our Collections

Well, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Today I give my first keynote speech – a goal that I set a year or so ago when I started public speaking and leading workshops on storytelling. Over the past six months, I’ve searched for opportunities by responding to different calls for speakers […]

Hillsborough Commissioners Get First Look at Train Station Design

In 2008, the town of Hillsborough obtained 20 acres of land adjacent to the North Carolina Railroad corridor to develop a passenger rail service. Currently, Hillsborough is planning and designing a building for the train station. Town staff and designers provided updates in a November Board of Commissioners work session.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro Homes Earns Statewide Design Awards

A pair of homes, one in Chatham County and another in Carrboro, recently earned statewide recognition for their modernist designs. NC Modernist, which is a nonprofit and website based in Durham, named the Domeck Residence design by ThoughtCraft Architects as first place winner of the George Matsumoto Prize. The annual jury award is a top […]

Right as Rain: Connections Over Cold Calls

It has taken me a long time, but dadgummit, I think I’m figuring this whole thing out. Over the past two years, I feel like I’m really starting to see the angles — to see how the world works and the stars align and all that mumbo jumbo. But the thing is, it’s not just […]

Right as Rain: Finding Your Rich Life

Last week I hosted another storytelling night. This time, the topic was financial health. What I’ve learned recently, is that talking and thinking about that topic can be just as triggering for people as talking about mental health — and it can certainly have overlapping effects on one’s mental health. Part of my mission with […]

This is Tourism: The Monti

When Jeff Polish isn’t consulting or speaking professionally on the topic of storytelling, he’s exploring how to use the power of stories to create significant impact in life and business alike. Polish may just be the most famous for The Monti, however. The Monti is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that keeps the tradition of storytelling […]

Inside Carolina: The Dynamics of Coaching

Coaching a college team is more than simply fielding a team. A head coach has to form an extensive support structure, be successful in recruiting players and assistance coaches alike, and consistently make sure that everyone’s best interest is being considered. Today’s “Inside Carolina” takes a look at the dynamics of coaching, and the balance […]

Right as Rain: Put the Plan into Action

At the beginning of last year, I set a goal to book at least two more public speaking engagements. I started a business helping non-profits and purpose-driven companies create deeper impact on their communities through video storytelling. Though I can speak on a variety of topics, this was where I was taking my career — […]

Right as Rain: Why We Need Coaches

Last night I landed at RDU at 1:15 in the morning, two hours later than I was supposed to. I sat on the plane for two hours at the gate, bounced around in my cramped seat through the turbulent thunderstorm, and tried to squeeze in sleep between the sound of screaming kids. But even after […]

TAP Your Passover: The Key to It All

This is the week that Passover begins for those in our Jewish and Christian communities. The story of Passover is a powerful event that defines the narrative of these two religions. The idea of passing over something always reminds me of playing dodgeball during recess in middle school. Two athletic students would self-select to create teams out […]

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