Storytelling: A powerful wellness tool

'"...I try to open a path through that maze, to put a little order in that chaos, to make life more bearable. When I write, I describe life as I would like it to be."'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Like many children, I loved closing out each day by listening to a bed time story. I've also always had a very short attention span. These two factors combined meant that evenings were increasingly difficult for my mother, having to find more and more creative ways to read the same stories contained in my picture books in order to make them appear fresh to my thirsty mind. Eventually, the permanent ink that carried their tales seemed unnecessarily restrictive and she, instead, decided that it would be easier to make up her own each night. Her fictional protagonist of choice: Gregory Grasshopper!

Oh, the adventures he got into! I can't remember any of them, of course. But what I do remember is the secure feeling of the soft, warm bed as I drifted away from the day preceding me, and the very important connection that I felt with my mother - my storyteller - in these moments.

My mother is still an amazing narrator. She possesses an artful skill in drawing on her South Australian heritage and memories to weave local familiarity into her stories. Anyone can write about exciting places like Paris and New York, but it takes creativity to engage listeners with the likes of Uraidla and Balhannah, especially the likes of a small child who could benefit from better understanding their lineage. Gregory's adventures were no exception, and it wasn't until I began thinking more deeply about storytelling's association with wellbeing that I considered how I benefited personally, socially and cognitively from these early nighttime experiences. It has also piqued my curiosity in relation to how we, as adults, may be able to tap into this vehicle.

‘When she talked about the past, or told her stories, the room filled with light; the walls dissolved to reveal incredible landscapes, palaces crowded with unimaginable objects, faraway countries that she invented or borrowed from the Professor’s library.’

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Gregory Grasshopper and his worldly adventures!

What is storytelling?

Storytelling is not just something that we appreciated in our childhood, snuggling up in bed reading our picture books or listening to a weary parent maintain enough animation to entertain us off to sleep. It goes beyond the Gregory Grasshoppers of our past! At its heart, it's one of the most powerful forms of communication that humans have relied on for centuries (1) - as long as 100,000 years! (2) One definition of this custom that encapsulates both its function and magic is:

"...conveying messages and sharing accumulated knowledge and wisdom to help navigate and explain the world around us" (3)

In ancestral times, storytelling - whether as primitive symbols or the narrative variety - was a vital tool for communities to pass down knowledge the needed by each generation in order to stay safe, survive and thrive (2).

Narrative storytelling is a process that connects a series of events that surpasses a mere telling of facts - the key component is the ability to evoke emotions in the listener in a manner that engages them on a deeper and more meaningful level, enabling personal connection and reflection (4). It is a communication skill that we, as humans, have honed over centuries to create emotional connections at a visceral level, not merely an intellectual one (1,4). This emotional impact is not reliant on the truth of a story - our brain doesn't care. As a listener, we instinctively know when a tale is a good one, with characters to care about and a story that is engaging enough for us to have placed ourselves into the narrative (4,5).

Structurally, stories will tend to have a beginning, middle and end, as well as a protagonist, an idea, practice or object and, importantly, some form of conflict or transformation (6). You may realise that you naturally adhere to this structure when you tell a story; this is because narration is embedded into our natural way of thinking (1).

Storytelling and wellness

The practice of storytelling has a variety of connections to health and wellness. It not only imparts knowledge for mere safety and survival, but it can also aid in inclusive public health promotion and science communication, as well as contribute to social connectedness, intellectual wellness and psychological health.

A couple more definitions upfront:

What is social wellness?

Holistic wellness models typically incorporate three dimensions of wellness: physical, mental and social. There is nuance and complexity to this, but for the purpose of this topic we'll use this definition of social wellness: "Social wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others...Social wellness involves building healthy, nurturing, and supportive relationships as well as fostering a genuine connection with those around you." (7)

What is intellectual wellness?

This is a topic about which I am very passionate. It tends to be underrated in general health and wellness discourse, but it is vitally important that we maintain it throughout life. Intellectual wellness is about tapping into our creativity and having an open mind, seeking out new experiences, opportunities and ideas that challenge us. It encourages exploration and personal growth. Through this consistent exposure, we expand our capabilities, skills, knowledge and confidence. You can read a little more of my thoughts on the topic here.

'She sowed in my mind the idea that reality is not only what we see on the surface; it has a magical dimension as well and, if we so desire, it is legitimate to enhance it and color it to make our journey through life less trying.'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Storytelling and wellness

Let's face it, the scientific evidence that sits behind many public health initiatives can seem dry, overly complex and boring. This can be a huge barrier to the effective transfer of knowledge and understanding about health topics that are important for individual and population health.

Translating this type of information using the values-based meaning of stories can be very effective (8,9). Doing so can enhance understanding and learning by increasing the listener's intellectual investment and creating an emotional bond between them and the speaker (8). It helps listeners reorganise implicit information such as knowledge, attitudes and perception into new patterns in their own minds (10). This can essentially reframe the listener's perspectives on a topic. Technical knowledge and research literacy is not required to listen to a narrative story, so this process can also support inclusivity and increase reach among non-academic populations (4). When storytelling is used in community-based health promotion it can promote connection, understanding, self-expression, health literacy and the elevation of voices of those that are typically excluded from daily discourse (9,11).

One of the primary differences between imparting knowledge through objective facts and storytelling is that the latter elicits emotions and passion. This can prove a source of inspiration and motivation to kickstart a person into action (4,5,10,11). When we listen to the stories of others, we inevitably connect the content to our own experiences, creating the personal meaning required to take action in our own lives (10). Stories also improve our chances of memorising content and achieving clarity of meaning, as opposed to a simple retelling of facts (1,4).

Imagine a world where you learn about the health risks of refined sugar through Gregory Grasshopper's overindulgence! Well, you get my point.

On a smaller, patient-specific level, storytelling has been used in health research to improve outcomes in cases of diabetes (12) and Covid-19 (13), as well as to gain in-depth understanding of the patient experience to improve systemic health care (14).

'It was with her that I learned to barter words for goods, and I have been blessed with good fortune, for I have always been able to find someone willing to accept such a transaction.'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Storytelling and public health

Have you ever wondered why it is so enjoyable to huddle around a campfire sharing stories with others? Why it seems to elicit a sense of social closeness unparalleled by other group activities?

The process of storytelling is a collaboration between the teller and listener, and even more so when stories are repeated and passed onto other people over time (10). By doing this, stories evolve and develop new meaning and new lessons to be shared again and again (10). This explains the social and cultural importance of story perpetuation that exists through multiple generations.

When we tell personal stories, we inevitably share a small part of our journey - perhaps a glimmer of our hopes and dreams in life, or a glimpse into what frightens or worries us, how we care for others, or how others care for us. The vulnerability that is intrinsically intertwined with this sharing helps to build trust with others, and it also breaks down hierarchical status barriers, levelling the social playing field (10). The exchange of stories - and, in essence, this vulnerability and trust - reinforces social bonding.

In a similar way, stories not only reveal information about the teller, but the act of listening to stories also allows us to more meaningfully connect with our own values, philosophies and beliefs (6). This process gives us a deeper understanding of ourselves and allows us to make better sense of our own experiences and thoughts (6). It opens the door for the introspection, curiosity and self-affirmation that carries us healthfully through times of difficulty. I've no doubt that Gregory's tales led to my own enhanced understanding of my childhood experiences in that very same household and backyard.

Furthermore, connecting through stories can have a biochemical effect that promotes altruistic behaviour - we are more prone to help and support others when we have been emotionally moved by a narrative (5). In addition, stories with complex characters that don't rely on stereotypes have been associated with increased empathy (15), so much so that academic institutions are beginning to recognise the practical function of storytelling in their medical courses (16,17). Such demonstrations of generosity can further strengthen relationships and trust.

We feel less alone when we share stories with others and they are accepted, and especially when this gesture is reciprocated (18).

If we refer back to our definition of social wellness, all these benefits contribute directly to meaningful, supportive and genuine connection with others.

'...she understands that in her desire to please him she had given him her own memory: she no longer knew what was hers or how much now belonged to him; their pasts had been woven into a single strand.'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Social connectedness

The complex effects that stories have on us at both a conscious and unconscious level can be illustrated by the various parts of the brain that activate when we listen to a story. These regions are not necessarily those that are traditionally considered to be part of the brain's 'language network' (20), indicating that there is more going on in our mind than surface level processing. These areas of activation span early auditory centres and linguistic areas, as well as regions responsible for higher level cognition in the frontal and parietal cortices (8).

From a neurochemical perspective, various storytelling techniques have been linked to increases in oxytocin levels (5,19). Oxytocin is often referred to as our primary 'social bonding' hormone which may go some way to explain the social benefits previously outlined.

I have been banging the drum of the importance of boredom for good wellbeing for a long time now. It's really only during times of what we term 'boredom' that our brain can adequately problem solve, be truly curious and find peace. Unfortunately, we now live in modern environments that not only disallow this, but, though evolving technology, are aimed at active avoidance of boredom. This type of lifestyle goes a long way to explain the increasing stress, anxiety and sense of constant alertness that many of us now suffer through on a daily basis. How does this relate to sharing stories? Well, sleep is not the only time our brain rests - wakeful cognitive rest is also vital. Those same brain regions that activate when we are listening to a story actually overlap with those corresponding to our default cognitive 'resting state' during unconstrained times in which our mind can wander (i.e. in the absence of rapid-fire stimulation) (20). This relationship is just another reason to preference organic, 'real life' connection over social media scrolling that does not support meaningful engagement with narratives (read more about this here).

These brain activation patterns are stable across different languages, and are shared between both the speaker and listener (8). This highlights how magical the act of story swapping is, indicating a level of shared understanding and interpretation that we may not fully understand. The practical implications for social wellness here are very tangible. For instance, brain scan studies indicate that the stronger the neural alignment between the brains of the story teller and listener, the better the communication (8).

'Words are free, she used to say, and she appropriated them; they were all hers.'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Our brain during storytelling

By now, we can see that storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used in all aspects of our life (and we haven't even touched on many of the place-based applications for this technique, such as in workplaces and schools). But how can you practically use it in your day-to-day life to reap the social, intellectual and psychological benefits?

5 ways that you can start incorporating storytelling into your daily life today:

1) Use as a replacement for the standard 'yeah, not bad' reply

In Australia in particular, we have a terrible habit of responding with 'yeah, not bad' when asked how we are. This is not only reasonably negative (is 'not bad' the best we can hope for?), but it also doesn't leave the door open for much meaningful dialogue with the other person. Instead, think of the most interesting thing that has recently happened to you, and tell a brief story around that experience.

2) Put your phone down when waiting/bored/taking a break/commuting

These times are perfect opportunities to meaningfully connect with others through sharing stories. Sure, you have to read the room - not everyone on your morning train is going to want to engage with you in this way, but a colleague in the tea room at work might appreciate a yarn over lunch instead of burying their head in their phone.

3) Initiate a household tradition

If you live with others, this can act as the flip-side of tip 1. Instead of asking 'how are you?' or 'how was your day?', reframe the question to something that encourages a story exchange, such as 'what was the best thing that happened to you today?', 'tell me about something from today that will stick in your mind', or 'what new things did you learn today?'.

4) Recognise and grab those small opportunities for connection

Some of my favourite interactions in life have been when floating around a store or market, or buying a local morning coffee, and striking up a story-based conversation with the people working there. These don't have to be long-term connections, but they are opportunities to insert some story swapping into our daily activities, and can be especially enjoyable when moving through our local communities.

5) Create a mental (or written) story bank

This one may sound a little weird, but I think it's what really interesting people do intuitively. Because we tend to think that life is endless, we can find ourselves just drifting through time not really consciously connecting with the happenings of the day, or their storytelling value. Instead, start noticing the interesting things that happen around you and mentally bank them or even write them down if you need more of a prompt. They may be things that you know a loved one would get a kick out of, something funny, or something new that you learned. There is a degree of consciousness and presence involved here - think of all the mindfulness advice you've ever received. This way, you will be ready to wow someone and meaningfully connect the next time you are asked: 'how are you?'.

'Mimí maintained that each of us is born with a talent, and that happiness or misfortune depends on discovering what that talent is and whether there is a demand for it in the world, because there are remarkable skills that go unappreciated…'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Incorporating storytelling into your daily life

The practice of sharing stories is as old as time. There is no doubt that storytelling is a powerful vehicle to not only elevate understanding of health issues and inspire us to act on this knowledge in a way that enhances our quality of life, but the very act itself can bring us together and facilitate social connection. We can use it to flex our intellectual wellness muscles and tap into our mind's active resting state.

So next time someone tells you that stories are just for children, you can let them know of the multitude of benefits for us big kids!

So get out there, be vulnerable, share your stories with others and listen to theirs intently. There is so much to be gained through this connection. After all, you never know what you may learn from Gregory Grasshopper's next adventure!

'"But if he can’t change things, who can?" "You and I, for example. What has to change in this world are attitudes."'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, 1987

Final thoughts

Sources

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© Sharon Jenner 2023