Storytelling, creativity, and living out loud!

The last few weeks have been an immersion in storytelling, creativity, and living out loud!

First up: a pilgrimage to the Edinburgh Fringe—my first ever! (Big confession for an ardent am-drammer, I know.) What struck me most was the sheer bravery and vulnerability on display. Take the award-winning play, Why I Put a Flare Up My Arse for England. It sounds like ballsy bravado, but at its heart, it’s a powerful exploration of toxic masculinity and communication breakdown. Then there was the one-woman show, Life Would be Pretty Dull Without Sex, Raves and MDMA. Delivered to a tiny audience, it was searingly honest - a true unfolding story about a separated mum recapturing the magic moments of her youth through drugs, dancing, and hook-ups.

Then, there was the wonderous world of Shambala, a festival that describes itself as a "fiercely independent, seriously silly, wildly creative and radically sustainable party in a field.” This isn't just a party; it's a playground for creative reinvention. People go to festivals to live a different version of themselves, even if just for a few days. Shambala is a living story with playfulness, purpose, and kindness at its heart.

I celebrate the boundless creativity we, as a species, have to change our stories in the last chapter of my upcoming book, Story-Centred Leadership – Crafting Cultures of Change. I consider how mediums like music, performance, poetry, and pop culture can help us crack open new ways of being and engaging with our biggest challenges. The old ways aren't working. And we all know the definition of insanity, right?

Creative storytelling opens our hearts and minds, helping us connect, reframe and see new possibilities. It inspires us to take action and become part of something bigger. How will you unleash your creativity to accelerate change?