Sunday Stories With Kindra Hall

UPDATED: November 6, 2024

PUBLISHED: August 5, 2020

Welcome to Sunday Stories! I’m here to help you write your success story.

Like many of you, I have been a long time reader and learner of SUCCESS, and I am so honored to play a major role in spreading the SUCCESS message and sharing more stories with you.

I know the best lessons of success are taught through the stories of those that came before us. Together we will dig into the strategies that helped these people achieve their highest level of success. We will learn how to navigate these unprecedented times and discover who we are to become now.

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Sunday, July 19, 2020

Introducing Sunday Stories…

Hi there!

Kindra here — Chief Storytelling Officer at Success and today starts a brand-new adventure and I want to take you with me… Want to know what it is?! (I hoped you would…) :)

I’m launching a new series called — Sunday Stories. And it starts, you guessed it, on SUNDAY!!

You might have heard of the “Sunday Scaries.” That feeling of dread that starts to creep in late Sunday afternoon when you realize another weekend is almost over and Monday is just a few hours away.

I’ve struggled with the Sunday Scaries since I was a kid. I remember watching “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” with my family on Sunday nights in the early nineties and wishing the episodes would last forever so I wouldn’t have to go back to the grind of middle school.

You might suffer from Sunday Scaries too; I know I still struggle with it. But I don’t think it has to be that way. Sunday could be an opportunity for reflection on the week that has passed and hope for, no matter what kind of week it was, the days to come. Sunday could be a day when we take just a few extra minutes to evaluate the various stories we tell ourselves each week and use them to make us stronger.

That’s why I’m taking back control of my Sunday! I decided it’s time to rewrite my own Sunday story and I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

How Sunday Stories Works…

Each Sunday, we are going to push the reset button on a brand-new week. These steps will take just a couple minutes, we’ll go through them together, and week-by-week I believe they can create a huge difference.

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week. In a journal, write down the best moments (so you can use them as fuel) and the biggest challenges (so you can use them as lessons). Even mundane moments are worth including because you never know when they might become a part of a bigger story later on.

Don’t overthink anything, just write down what comes to mind.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back? On the flip side, are there fundamental truths about who you are and what makes you great? Make note of those.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective? Could you approach it a different way?

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Yes, plans change. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that. However, I fully believe a plan that changes is better than no plan at all. After reflecting on what happened the previous week and how you can revise the story so it serves you better, make a plan for the week ahead. Write down at least one thing you hope to accomplish in the next six days. Then create a small list of tasks that will help you accomplish it. Think of the things that remain in your control.

Sound fun?! I’m excited just thinking about it.

Next steps — grab a journal and something to write with. I would also say choose a spot in the house that’s quiet and that you enjoy. And pick a consistent time so that the exercise becomes automatic.

Each Sunday I will check in with you to share some of my story from the week and guide you through this exercise. I’d love to see your work! Make sure you take a picture and share your Sunday Stories with @SUCCESSMagazine and @KindraHall on Instagram using #SundayStories.

It’s time to reflect, learn, and grow into the better days ahead! I can’t wait to hear the stories you’ll tell.

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, July 26, 2020

A Story About Moving in a Pandemic…

Hey there!

This is it! The first official Sunday Stories session. I’ll be sharing MY story and walking you through working on your own. I’ve been looking forward to this all week! I hope you’re excited too.

And actually, I noticed a difference… since I knew I was going to be sending you this message, and I knew we were going to be working on our Sunday Stories together, I was a lot more aware of the stories I was telling myself this past week. I wonder if the same will be true for you too as we really get into this.

As a refresher, here’s how this will work. Each week, on Sunday evening (or whenever it works best for you), I want you to take a few minutes and walk through these steps:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Got it? Ok! Here is my Sunday Story from last week.

—

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed.

Last week, my family moved out of our first New York City apartment and I was having a hard time with it. Not just because moving is hard, or because I was sad to leave our sweet little home, though both of those things were true. But when going through the Sunday Stories steps, I realized I was struggling for a different reason…

We didn’t have a new apartment yet. We hadn’t found a new place.

No… we weren’t going to be homeless, we were heading out east for a planned trip and then coming BACK to the city in the fall and finding a new apartment. But we hadn’t found it yet and last week I kept telling myself the story that we wouldn’t find one; that we wouldn’t find an apartment we liked as much as the one we were leaving; that my husband Michael and I wouldn’t agree on what rent we should pay; that the neighbors wouldn’t be as nice; and that something would be wrong with the building.

Step 2: Analyze those moments.

I realized there was an old story hiding in there. A story that was weighing me down and influencing my thoughts about the situation…

Back when we were first thinking about moving our family to New York City, we had found the most incredible apartment. It was newly renovated, had a rooftop (what?!) and when we signed the lease and paid the deposit, I couldn’t believe the apartment was actually ours. It was a dream come true!

But then… just a week before we were going to start furnishing it, we lost it. The owner pulled a fast one and rented it to someone else who offered more. We were crushed. We questioned whether we should make the move at all. Eventually, after a lot of searching, we found the apartment we are now leaving and it has served us well over the past two years but the story of losing that first one has haunted me. And during my Sunday Stories exercise, I realized that story was significantly contributing to my anxiety and sadness about the move.

Step 3: Rewrite.

Time to rewrite the story that was influencing me. Instead of focusing on the part of the story about the apartment we lost, I decided to tell myself the story about the amazing apartment we FOUND. There are an abundance of amazing places to live in the city, and just like before, we will find the perfect one for our family. THAT is the story I have had on repeat ever since.

—

Now, you’ll notice that this wasn’t a story directly related to business or to my “success.” And it’s not a BIG story or moment. It was just a nagging thought, a negative feeling that was holding me back and I saw an opportunity to change it. That is what Sunday Stories is really all about.

Gaining control over the stories we tell ourselves is a HUGE contributing factor to our overall success. Having a step-by-step process to identify, assess, rewrite if necessary and then repeat the stories that happen in our own minds is personal development at its most fundamental level.

Of course, I then moved to Step 4. I made some plans for the week and action steps to achieve set goals. Honestly, the goals had nothing to do with the story I just shared or our family’s move — and that’s ok! Sunday Stories is about building the self-storytelling muscle so we are better able to achieve whatever goals we set.

I am excited for you to go through this process today! I am excited about the stories you’ll find and the ways you rewrite them. In fact, if you feel comfortable, take a screenshot of your journal and post it to Instagram stories and tag me (@kindrahall) and SUCCESS (@successmagazine) and use the #SundayStories so I can see and celebrate your progress!

I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, August 2, 2020

A Story About My Fitness Journey…

Hey there!

Welcome to Sunday Stories — I hope you had a great week.

Mine was… full of stories. Some good. Some that needed a little work in order for the coming week to be strong. Thankfully, that’s what Sunday Stories is all about. Working on ourselves, via our stories, so we can approach each week with what it takes to make it a great one.

And I know we’ve only just begun, but I’m so glad we’re doing this together.

As a reminder… here are the Sunday Story steps:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

(If you missed the previous Sunday Stories installments… we’ll be sending a link to the whole series soon so you can get caught up on all of them).

All right. As promised, here is what I worked on this week during my Sunday Story time.

—

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed.

This week I decided to embark on a new fitness program… which was bold, especially considering our family was supposed to be on vacation. It was EXTRA bold because I’ve started workout programs before; 3 week programs, 90 day challenges… you name it, I’ve tried it. And I almost always fail. I make it to Day 2 and then it all falls apart. I’m too sore, I don’t have time… I use all the low-hanging excuses to justify quitting.

I don’t know if you’ve ever struggled with your health // fitness // exercise stories. I feel like I should warn you, I end up working on these stories a lot.

Step 2: Analyze those moments.

So. There I was, doing Workout #1. I was sweating. I was struggling. And I was repeating to myself, “Here I go again. Workout #1 and I’m going to find a reason to quit after Workout #3. That’s what I always do.”

That was literally what was going through my mind as I was doing the exercises. I was already planning my failure. Every time I lifted a weight or did a jumping jack, that was the story I told myself. Of course, this was happening subconsciously. If it hadn’t been for our Sunday Stories, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it in the first place. It would have just kept playing in my mind like background music.

Step 3: Rewrite.

Um. What?! Why would I DO that? Why would I actively reinforce a sabotaging message? Of all the available stories, why would I tell myself THAT one?

Before I continue with my re-write, I’d like to take a moment to break something down for you. Sometimes, rewriting the story happens after the fact. You’ll go through your Sunday Stories exercise, you’ll analyze various moments // happenings // events throughout your week and you’ll realize that there were stories you could rewrite, but only AFTER the fact.

Then there are other times, especially as you get better at evaluating the stories you tell yourself, you’ll identify, analyze and rewrite the story AS IT’S HAPPENING. Right there in the moment, you’ll stop yourself and say, “I need a better story here.” That’s what happened to me this week.

I was in the middle of Workout #1, telling myself the story of my previous failures, when I caught myself. And, because I’ve been using self-storytelling for a while now, I changed the story on the spot.

I decided to focus on a future story — a story that hadn’t happened yet, but one that I was excited about. I told myself this story: That after the workout series was complete and I made it all the way through, which I would, I would treat myself and go shopping. I told myself the story of the dressing rooms I would walk out of and how every outfit would make me feel incredible. Suddenly, the story wasn’t one of dread and impending doom, it was inspiring, exciting and worth working toward. The challenge and pain during workouts, the things that used to make me want to give up, transformed into physical expressions of getting closer to that story and actually fueled me.

And I want to point something out: Sometimes we have to tell ourselves stories that haven’t actually happened yet, like I did here. And I feel it’s only fair to warn you, these are harder. I mean, it’s not hard to make the story up… that part is fun. But it’s hard to override a negative story with one that hasn’t happened yet. Your inner storyteller will fight back; telling you your head is in the clouds, telling you you’re not in touch with reality. The key is to tell this future story LOUDER and to tell it over and over and over again.

I’m happy to tell you, that event happened early on in the week and so far… I haven’t missed a workout. The new story is working!

Of course, I then moved to Step 4. I made some plans for the week and action steps to achieve set goals — and you can bet some of those goals are connected to my workouts. Other goals included a few projects I’m working on and, most importantly, time to enjoy my family on vacation.

I am excited for the stories you’ll work through tonight and I would love to hear from you! If you feel comfortable, take a screenshot of your journal and post it to Instagram stories and tag me (@kindrahall) and SUCCESS (@successmagazine) and use the #SundayStories so I can see and celebrate your progress!

I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, August 9, 2020

A Story About Feeling Inadequate…

Hey there — I’m so happy to have you join me for another Sunday Stories Session!

If you’re just joining — welcome! Get ready for a fun — and sometimes challenging — journey each week as we reflect on the stories from the previous week and plan for the stories ahead.

As a reminder, here are the Sunday Stories Steps (you’ll want to grab a journal or use a journaling app).

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden limiting beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

And since we do this together… here is MY Sunday Stories revelation.

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. This was a big week for my family and I in a lot of ways (we bought a house), so there was plenty to reflect on there. But a moment that stood out to me as one I wanted to work on was centered around “influence.”

A little back story first — I’ve been thinking about influence a lot lately. I’m working on a course for SUCCESS about storytelling and influence (stay tuned for that!); the Women of Influence issue of SUCCESS magazine is about to hit newsstands (August 18th..mark your calendar!) and I had the honor of interviewing 10 INCREDIBLE women for that issue — women who are influencing others in BIG ways. Positive influence and how people can create positive change simply through the power of their influence has been on my mind probably simply because of the nature of my work.

That being said… one afternoon I was looking at Instagram and feeling really… small. Social media has a way of doing that sometimes, right? I mean, I love social media because it’s an opportunity to stay connected or expand your mind by following people different than you… but it can make me feel small when I start comparing myself to others.

I want to stop here for a moment and say — this is NOT in any way a message with an ulterior motive. Please do not feel the need to reassure me. I only share this because when it comes to influence, whether it’s online or in our community or at the office or even within our own families, I think many of us have felt this way. Small. Inadequate. Lacking the influence we desire.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. No question about it, that kind of small-minded, comparison thinking obviously doesn’t serve me. I could recite 100 different quotes that try to STOP that kind of thinking: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” “Admire someone else’s beauty without questioning your own.” “There are no small parts, only small actors.” The list could go on… and yet this thought creeps in from time to time. So, what can I do about it?

Step 3: Rewrite. I reminded myself of something I heard Chris Hogan, author of Everyday Millionaire say. He asked a group of influencers: “How many followers do you need to have in order to be considered a true person of influence?” People’s responses ranged from 100 to 100,000. Chris Hogan shook his head and said: “One. You just need one person who is looking to you and you are an influencer.”

What a perfect story to tell myself — the story of ONE person I impacted. I searched through my emails and comments and DMs and found a few. I read their stories, looked at their photos and committed them to memory. So the next time I felt the influence-doubt creep in, I’d have a story ready. Because all it takes is one!

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. This week was going to be a little sloppy for me and I knew it. A call here, a virtual meeting there, writing and research to do… but I made a list of the three big things I’m working toward this year, then this month and then chose 3 big things I could feel good about completing this week and those 3 things became my plan! (I’ll probably talk more about planning in future Sunday Stories because, next to stories, planning is my favorite thing).

Ok! That’s it for MY Sunday Stories… now it’s time to work on yours. And remember, it doesn’t have to be about anything I wrote about here. You should be working through your OWN stories. (Though, I do want to thank you for tuning in… it feels a lot like I’m writing in a private diary but then sending it to thousands of people. I hope you’re ok with that!) :)

If you haven’t already, be sure to follow me (@kindrahall) and SUCCESS (@successmagazine) on Instagram and use the #SundayStories so I can see and celebrate your progress!

I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

August 16, 2020

Your story won’t make sense until the end…

Hey there!

Welcome to the FOURTH installment of Sunday Stories. Can you believe we’ve been at this for a month already? Let me ask you… now that you have incorporated this practice into your week… do you feel differently? Can you catch yourself in the act when you’re telling a story that doesn’t serve you? I hope so.

As a reminder… here are the Sunday Story steps:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Now, typically what I do right here is basically share MY Sunday Stories journal with you. I share what came up as I went through each step. However, this week I want to do something a little differently.

On Tuesday, a very special issue of SUCCESS Magazine hits the newsstands. Not only is this the first issue in my new role (which is personally very special), but in it are the stories of ten incredible women. Each of them is BEYOND successful in their respective careers and I was the one to interview all of them. And in the process… I was reminded of something very valuable…

The story doesn’t make sense until after it’s told.

I’ll say that again: The story doesn’t make sense until after it’s told.

As I interviewed each of the women, (from my NYC closet during a pandemic by the way), I realized that their success stories, on the surface and from the outside, seemed to make perfect sense once they were told. But when they were LIVING the story, or in the middle of the story, it was simply a series of decisions or random happenings — likely as confusing as the ones any of us experience.

For example, there was the story Megan Tamte, Co-Founder of Evereve told me — about how, after having her children and staying home with them, she really wanted to have her own thing so she got a job at Crate & Barrel. Some of her friends questioned her decision to get a low-wage retail job at that point in her life… but for Megan, it felt like the right thing to do. Ten years later, and after starting her brand Evereve, she walked into Crate & Barrel again; this time with Crate & Barrel’s founder who had just become an investor in her company.

Talk about a full circle moment (more about that story in the magazine)… and that was just one of many.

Here is what these conversations reminded me and what I hope will help you this week during your Sunday Stories. The middle of a story (AKA = life) can be messy. It doesn’t make any sense. Things happen, you don’t know why and it can make you feel frustrated or wrong or a myriad of other things (I have felt this way often over the course of the past almost six months). But that is simply the nature of the middle of the story. Eventually, over days or weeks or, in some cases years, the story plays out. Those events will no longer be random but stepping stones that either brought you closer or taught you a lesson to make where you are now, possible.

If you’ve had any of those moments this week, see them for what they are — middle-of-the-story moments. And then say to yourself… “Well, it will be interesting to see how this story ends.” And have faith that someday, it’ll all make sense.

Ok! That’s all for this week. I know, it’s a little different, but I hope it’s helpful. Maybe look for a few of the moments you thought were just chaos but were actually middles.

I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, August 23, 2020

The difference between influence and influencer…

Happy Sunday!

I hope you had a great week and are ready for the week ahead! It was a big week here with the launch of the new issue of SUCCESS (did you get your subscription yet??). I had the honor of going LIVE on Instagram to speak with Jen Hatmaker and Misty Copeland about what it means to be women of influence and their answers were so inspiring and simultaneously grounding… (if you aren’t following @successmagazine on Instagram, you should!).

However, even in the midst of an awesome week, there are still things to learn and stories to change. If you’ve been a part of this Sunday Stories series from the beginning, you know that I am not afraid to open up the stories I need to work on so that you can have more success finding and fixing your own.

This week I’ve got a new twist on this method that will help you be even more effective in your self-storytelling efforts.

But first, as a reminder… here are the Sunday Story steps:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Here’s how this week’s lesson came together for me:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. As I was reflecting on my week (which was generally awesome) one moment stood out that needed some work. I was sitting outside with Michael, my husband, at the end of the day on Thursday and I was discouraged. I had just announced the launch of one of my own digital products (that I’d been working on for MONTHS), to very little response. Have you ever had that happen? Where you worked really hard on something and the result was… not good (or, in my case, really bad)?

It’s embarrassing to share it here with you, that I failed so badly — but the self-storytelling lesson is more valuable than saving face. That was my moment this week. Let’s move to step two.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. In step two, we’re supposed to analyze those moments. To see if there are hidden stories in there; limiting beliefs that are holding us back.

Here’s the thing about that moment for me… I already have a story for that kind of failure. Many years ago, a similar thing happened. But while the initial result wasn’t what I expected (sales of a product), what developed from there was a speaking career and eventually a best-selling book.

So while I sat with Michael and felt discouraged…. I wasn’t destroyed nor was my week defined by that failure because I HAVE a positive story I can tell myself. And I did. And I was able to transition to more productive thoughts more quickly.

However, there was something ELSE about that moment…

I had spent the week talking about women of influence, talking TO women of influence. I’m working on a course (more on that later) all ABOUT influence and storytelling… And I found myself in that moment longing for more influence of my own. Longing to be worthy of more influence (have you ever felt that way?)

Step 3: Rewrite. Here’s where I want to share with you a new strategy to incorporate:

Recognize a replacement story when it happens.

The key to replacing the stories that aren’t serving us, is having better stories we can replace them with. That means, when you experience or discover a story that serves you better, recognize it for what it is! Grab onto it, write it down in your Sunday Stories journal. An essential part of the skill of self-storytelling is continuously collecting stories you can use in the future.

For example, no more than two hours after I’d been contemplating my perceived lack of influence, I got a call from my best friend who also designs the layout of my Instagram account. “You’re not going to believe this,” she said. “Instagram just verified your account.” After 18 months of applying and being rejected by Instagram, I had, out of the blue, received the coveted ‘blue checkmark.’ My account was official.

Now let me be clear, in the grand scheme of things, a blue checkmark means very little. Historians will not comment on the checkmark, children will not bury the checkmark in a time-capsule to be uncovered in a century (or even a decade). But in that moment, a story happened for me. A small, influence-breakthrough. Just as I was beginning to doubt myself, I received a small nod that I was on the right path.

That is a story I am keeping with me. I am storing it in my own journal and the next time I need that reminder that I’m on the right path, I will pull up this story and use it as fuel to keep going.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. And of course, from there, I made plans for the week ahead — plans that include a live webinar all about influence! (You should be receiving an email about that soon).

Ok! That’s all for this week. I do feel a little strange that, by the nature of this series I am sharing with you all of my weakest moments. I hope in doing so, it helps you with YOUR stories. Remember to always be on the lookout for the awesome stories you can tell yourself later on.

I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Does your voice deserved to be heard?

Happy Sunday!

I hope you had a great week and are ready for the week ahead! It was another big week here with my first-ever SUCCESS webinar. I had so much fun spending teaching on influence and answering some questions along the way. Did you catch it live?

Well, I’m here today to tell you that while the result of the webinar was spectacular, everything that led into it was far from that. I was a WRECK. All the preparation that led to the webinar was filled with self-doubt, fear, and anxiety. I was consumed with imposter syndrome, and my confidence was seriously lacking.

That is the story I had to work on this week, and I will take you through my process.

If you’ve been a part of this Sunday Stories series from the beginning, you know that I am not afraid to open up the stories I need to work on so that you can have more success finding and fixing your own. (If you’re just joining us, we’re happy to have you!

Before I jump back into my story for this week, I want to remind you of the Sunday Story steps to follow along in your journal:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come, so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it differently? And then, after all that story work…

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Here’s how this week’s story came together for me:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. As I mentioned, the webinar stood out in a big way for me this week. The final product — the moment when I was DOING it — was AWESOME. I got to meet over 1,600 of you and share my personal stories of influence that I haven’t shared before. I was watching the chat screen going crazy with everyone’s excitement… It was such a wonderful feeling.

But then it got me thinking about how I got to that moment…

And in particular, the night before the webinar when I was working on my notes, crabby with my children, pacing the house, scribbling out notes, and figuring out exactly what I wanted to say. And even the morning OF the webinar — writing and re-writing.

I’ll never forget sitting in my bed the morning of the webinar, four different colored pens, three different versions of slides, and just wanting to hide.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Here’s something I’ve learned about myself — I don’t like doing new things. I prefer to keep doing the things I know how to do. It’s something I’ve been trying to work on, and this was part of that process.

Several weeks ago, when my team at SUCCESS Magazine asked me to do this webinar, my first thought was, “NO WAY!” I’ve never done a webinar. What if no one shows up? What if I don’t know what I’m talking about? Every inch of me was screaming NO… but I said yes.

I knew, from experience, that I was in a situation that needed a better story. When imposter syndrome takes over, the only thing that can loosen its grip is a great story.

Step 3: Rewrite. As I sat there, I told myself the stories of various other events where I did something new and thrived. The time I was nervous about going to speak in front of a group of young teenage mothers about following your dreams (long before I was a keynote speaker). The time I had to present in front of my daughter’s 2nd grade classroom and loved every second. The first time I went to a spin class, and it ended up changing my life.

By rewriting the story I was telling myself at that moment (“You’re in over your head…” “You don’t know how to do this…”), I was able to show up, connect with others and influence them to make the same types of positive changes in their mindset.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. From here, we plan for the days ahead. What will you say ‘yes’ to this week when your gut-reaction is ‘no’? The first step to getting what you want is overcoming self-doubt. If you continue to let the voice in your head tell you that you aren’t good enough, then you never will be good enough. This week, I want you to replace those negative, limiting-beliefs, while they are happening with stories that will serve you better. Acknowledge the thought and decide that you are stronger than that.

Speaking of….

Tomorrow morning, my first training in the Unlocking the Power of Influence course is released. This training will help you build a solid foundation of confidence. You’ll learn that creating influence starts from the inside. You must show up for yourself before anyone else will show up for you.

Here’s what you get tomorrow morning if you sign up now:

The Influence Inventory workbook. In this activity, I will guide you through how to identify the areas and people in your life that you already have a profound influence over. (Hint: it is far larger than just your closest friends and family).
What influence is and what it isn’t. Do you think influence is the same thing as power or a blue checkmark by your name? Nope! That’s okay. We will dive deep into understanding exactly what it means to have influence and how you can build those necessary skills to create it for yourself.
Create your natural influence superpower. You have this powerful influence that is just waiting to be released. Once I walk you through how to create influence in any room with my Storytelling Method, you’ll feel more confident asking for what you want.

There’s so much more that we will uncover week after week together. I can’t wait to take you on this confidence-building journey with me.

I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, September 7, 2020

How to Create Calm

Happy Sunday to You!

I hope you had another successful week and that, by now and by making this a weekly habit, you are starting to recognize the true power your stories have AND the power YOU have to use them for good in your life.

Before I share with you one of MY self-storytelling moments this week, here is a quick review of the Sunday Stories steps:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it a different way? And then, after all that story work…

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

All right. As promised, here is what -I- worked on this week during my Sunday Story time — one particular story that I believe could be the key to a much bigger thing.

—

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed.

This week, like most weeks, was filled to the brim with opportunities for self-storytelling. One in particular happened when I was about 10 minutes into a 30 minute at-home workout. I did a simple move, one I’ve done many times without issue, and suddenly I heard and felt a pop in my upper back. I immediately froze in the pain of the aftershocks. After putting the weight safely down, I went to the freezer, grabbed an ice pack and laid on the ground staring at the sky. That’s when the story came to me: of a family friend who hurt her back doing a simple move in workout and, after a year of nothing working, finally had to have back surgery. I could feel my fear and anxiety rising as I retold myself the story of how miserable she was for that time…

And in a moment of clarity, I realized this was an opportunity for storytelling.

Step 2: Analyze those moments.

As I lay there on the ground, I knew I had a choice in what story I told myself. I could tell myself the story of ending up in back surgery — fueling my fear and anxiety — or I could tell myself one of the many other stories when I myself or my friends have tweaked their back, taken it easy, ice and heat and massage and anti-inflammatories and rest and been fine.

Certainly health is a serious matter, as are injuries and the severity of what happened and the proper path forward would soon be revealed. In the meantime, I had a choice in the story I told myself — one that elevated my anxiety and added to the problem or one that calmed me and made it all seem more manageable.

Step 3: Rewrite.

Right there, laying on the ground with ice between my shoulder blades, I chose a different story. One that calmed me which is what I needed in that moment. By choosing a better story, I was able to keep myself from spiraling deep into a tunnel of fear. I am happy to report that the injury wasn’t serious and I’m feeling much better physically (though I’m still taking it easy).

Step 4: Prepare for the week ahead.

Lastly, this Sunday I made some plans for the week ahead. This is a big week — MY PODCAST IS LAUNCHING on TUESDAY!! Look for SUCCESS Stories with Kindra Hall on your favorite podcast platform and be sure to subscribe and rate once you’re able to enjoy a few episodes. We’ll be talking about it throughout the week on Instagram @successmagazine and @kindrahall — I can’t wait to share these amazing stories with you.

That’s all for now… I’ll be back next week with a new story! Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, September 13, 2020

This is how I WIN against the naysayers.

Hello and welcome to another Sunday and another opportunity to change your story!

First — I want to thank you for all the support and comments I’ve received regarding the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast! I’ve loved seeing your posts (tag me on Instagram @kindrahall and @successmagazine) and getting your messages as you listen to the incredible stories of our amazing guests — including Misty Copeland, Jen Hatmaker, India Arie, Megan Tamte, Gretchen Rubin.

Here’s a link if you haven’t already checked it out:

SUCCESS Stories with Kindra Hall!

Be sure to subscribe and rate it once you get a chance to listen. Oh, and tell your friends. :) They could probably use some uplifting stories too.

Ok. Let’s get to this week’s Sunday Stories. And, as I was working through my own stories this week, I kept thinking about the interview I did, which releases on Tuesday with the young entrepreneurial superstar Seema Bansal. Bansal is the Co-Founder of Venus ET Fleur, a multimillion-dollar flower business.

Read that again… multimillion-dollar FLOWER business. She had an idea to revolutionize FLOWERS.

I want you to imagine for a moment what her friends and family must have thought when she said to them: I have an idea.

I’m going to use my life-savings, move to New York City from Vancouver, Canada and start a flower business and I think it’s going to be huge… They would have looked at her like she was crazy! They would have told her it was too risky. That you can’t revolutionize flowers — FLOWERS?! And yet… she continued forward and now, it’s all coming up roses (see what I did there?!)

So, what does this have to do with your Sunday Stories? I’m glad you asked.

Any time you are pursuing a new level of success or chasing a dream, there will likely be naysayers.People who tell you or look at you like you’re crazy. They might even share their own stories of trying something new and failing miserably as cautionary tales implying that you should play it safe.

And the thing is… there’s a chance you might believe them. It only takes a few times hearing those stories before it becomes tempting to adopt them as your own.

This week, as you’re going through the steps (I outline them below), and you get to the third one and realize that you need some stories to erase or at least overwrite the stories that aren’t serving you, lean on Seema Bansal’s story. Listen to some of the other stories on the podcast.

Reach out to the people you admire who have achieved success, went through challenges, faced doubt and naysayers, and asked for their stories.

A key to changing the story you tell yourself is to have an ample supply of stories to draw from. And sometimes, that means borrowing someone else’s story.Any time I’m staring in the face of doubt, I remind myself of the stories of the people who have gone before me and it gives me the fuel I need to keep going.

All right! That’s your assignment for this week. Here are the Sunday Stories steps as a reminder:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Keep me updated on how your self-storytelling is coming along! I’ll be back next week with more self-storytelling for you. Until then…

To Your Success Story,

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Which OLD story will help you this week?

Hello, and welcome to another Sunday and another opportunity to change your story!

In case you are new — Welcome!! I’m happy you’re here. The purpose behind Sunday Stories started with the phrase, maybe you’ve heard it: Sunday Scaries. Where every Sunday, a sense of fear & dread sets in as we realize the weekend is over and imagine the stresses waiting for us on Monday morning. However! Myself and the team at SUCCESS believe that Sunday is an opportunity not only to prep for the upcoming week but also to rewrite some of the stories that are holding us back… hence Sunday STORIES (instead of Scaries).

Ok. Grab your journal, and let’s get started. As a reminder, here is the process (and then I’ll share one of MY stories with you):

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come, so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it in a different way? And then, after all that story work…

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Step One for me this week happened near the end of the week when there was a very clear self-story opportunity.

I live in New York City, and we have been preparing (after an initial delay announced earlier this month) for our children to begin blended learning next week. Lots of orientation, lots of Zoom calls, lots of effort and thought and planning on behalf of our teachers and administrators… and then on Thursday… we heard via a press conference that in-person learning would be delayed again. This announcement ricocheted throughout the city to various responses, but for me, there was one profound one — that somehow I am failing as a parent.

Step Two requires that I analyze that response. Where did that belief come from? Why is that my go-to story? Is that story serving me? — no. Does that story serve my children? — no. Does that story carry into the rest of the day and impact everything else? — absolutely. Is that story true? ..… no. When I analyzed that response, I realized it came from old insecurities. That I’m too focused on work and so missed the signs that we needed to look at other, more stable options. That we took too big of a risk and shouldn’t have moved to New York City in the first place… the list of old stories goes on.

Step Three this week was one of the most important of 2020. I decided to rewrite the story by repeating all the moments when those stories I was using AGAINST myself were actually the greatest things that had happened. My focus on my work has taught me and my family to be agile — to control the things we can so when the things that can’t come up, we’re ready. I forgot that we had already prepared for a fully remote scenario (funny how that happens), so I re-told myself THAT story. I told myself the stories of all the incredible things // life-education, my children, have received as a result of taking risks and pushing the envelope. And I reminded myself of the chaos of last spring, and how well we survived it, and the stories we will tell because of it. Suddenly the stress and anxiety of the announcement dissipated, and I approached the situation with a new sense of calm and capability.

Step Four meant making a plan for next week… while knowing that plans change. :)

I hope my story helps you work through your stories this week, and please connect on Instagram (@kindrahall) and let me know how your self-stories are coming along. (And if you don’t already, follow @successmagazine too).

Have a great week, and I’ll see you on Sunday.
To Your Success Story,

Sunday, September 27, 2020

My Story of LOVE

Good Sunday evening to you! And welcome to another Sunday Stories message.

Before we get into it, I wanted to be sure I let you know that THIS TUESDAY, my podcast interview with Deepak Chopra releases. I have to say… this conversation had an immediate and profound impact on my life. Particularly in these times of uncertainty, his advice for living is something we all need to hear.

And actually, that conversation inspired something within me that directly relates to our Sunday Story discussion — something that might help you while you’re working on your OWN Sunday Story this week.

As a reminder, here are the steps for the Sunday Story exercise.

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Here is MY Sunday Story exercise for this week.

STEP ONE: Reflect on the week that passed. Remember last week, they announced another last-minute delay in the reopening of in-person learning for NYC public schools. Myself and many other parents across the city struggled with lingering feelings of anger that were tough to shake.

STEP TWO: Analyze those moments. I was wrestling with those emotions. I don’t like living in a place of anger. It feels so unproductive and yet I couldn’t seem to shake it. Then, I remembered my conversation with Deepak. In it, he talks about the power of love. I know… it sounds cliché when I write it but trust me… the way Deepak describes it changes everything. And with his voice in my head, I asked myself: How could I change this into a story of love?

STEP THREE: Rewrite. This week, the rewriting wasn’t a mental thing. It wasn’t even a pen-and paper-thing. It was an ACTION thing. Suddenly the idea came to me – instead of a story about frustration, why not create a story of LOVE. I text some of the fellow parents at the school and reminded them of how we used to cheer for the healthcare workers at 7pm every night during the height of the pandemic. Why don’t we do the same thing for our teachers? They’re working tirelessly, trying to adjust to an ever-changing situation. Why not stand outside the school and clap and cheer and bang on pots and pans to let them know we’re here for them, that we’re all in this together?! And so, we did. We gathered six feet apart outside the entrance of the school and cheered through our masks (not easy to do!) until the teachers came out. We watched as tears came to their eyes (and ours too) and with that one action, we wrote a new story.

A story of love.

STEP FOUR: Plan for the week ahead. Not going to lie, this step has been the hardest lately. I’m learning to lean into the chaos while at the same time, trying to keep some order where I can.

That’s my story for the week. I highly recommend giving this rewrite-strategy a try. If you’re stuck in a story that’s not serving you and the other approaches I’ve offered over the past few weeks aren’t helping, it might be time to actively CREATE a new story.

That’s all for now. I can’t say it enough – be sure to listen to Deepak Chopra this week on the podcast and I’ll see you next Sunday!

To your Success story,

Monday, October 5, 2020

A Story About Taking That Big Risk

Happy MONDAY and hurray for the great stories you’ll write this week :)

If I haven’t said it lately, I’m so happy you’re here! I know we usually get these to you Sunday evening, but today we are turning our Sunday Stories into Monday Motivation! This is a packed week here at Success with lots of excitement!

I’m thrilled to tell you that the next issue of SUCCESS magazine hits newsstands (and your doorstep) on TUESDAY!! On the cover is the magnificent Payal Kadakia — the Executive Chairman and Founder of ClassPass — a company that was the first of 2020 to reach the billion-dollar valuation mark.

Of course, that was January 2020. And we all know what happened just a few months later… not to mention, ClassPass is a company focused entirely on …. (wait for it)…. group fitness classes.

If ANYONE needed a new story in 2020, it’s Payal Kadakia (@Payal) and let me tell you, her story is a great one. If you don’t already have a subscription to the magazine, get it NOW at an awesome price as a gift from me here. And if you want to hear Payal’s story in her own words, my podcast episode with her also releases on Tuesday so make sure you’re subscribed here.

And actually, one of the stories she told in that interview is the inspiration for what I want to share with you in this Monday Motivation installment (instead of sharing one of my own stories from this week).

Without giving the whole thing away, because I want to make sure you read her story and listen to the interview, there was a story she told that totally stuck with me. It was a story of the day she was officially going to quit her fancy corporate job; a story about how she felt at the beginning of that day and how she felt at the end.

The story itself was awesome. But beyond that, she mentioned later in the podcast that she often thinks back on that day. Anytime she is faced with uncertainty (and let’s face it, there’s been a lot of that in 2020), she tells herself the story of that day and it reminds her of what is possible on the other side of fear.

Amazing, right?! That is a classic example of self-storytelling at work. I wish I could take credit for it, but Payal has LONG been engaging in the practice of telling herself stories that lead to greater success.

So! That is the thing I want you to remember as you go through your story writing exercise this week. If you identify a NEW story you can use when times are tough, circle it! Put a big red start next to it! Keep it in your pocket for the next time you need that reminder that you are capable of all the success you desire.

Ok… Now it’s time for you to get to work. As a reminder, here are the steps for the Story exercise:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

That’s all for now. If you’re comfortable, I’d love to hear about your Sunday Stories progress. Post your stories on Instagram and tag me (@kindrahall) and @successmagazine and I’ll see you next Sunday!

To your Success story,

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Helping Someone With Their Story

Hello hello! Are you ready to change your story again this week?

Actually — in addition to changing your story this week, I’m going to focus on how you can take what you’ve learned through this Sunday Stories series and use it to help someone else change THEIR story.

But first, let’s review the steps for the Sunday Stories exercise.

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it a different way? And then, after all that story work…

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

All right, here’s my twist on this week’s story…

STEP ONE: Reflect on the week that passed. While certainly there are always self-stories that could use some changing, the moment that stood out for me this week wasn’t actually MY story, it was my daughter’s story.

And this could happen to you too. Now that you’ve been using this process for a while, you might start recognizing when someone else has chosen a story that isn’t serving them and in some cases, you might be able to help. Of course, this depends entirely on the person and your relationship with that person. Self-stories are extremely personal and often heavily guarded and not everyone will be open to having help in changing them. But sometimes they are, and in those situations, I encourage you to walk them through these steps.

In the case of my daughter for example, we were at home and I was helping her during the independent work portion of her 3rd grade virtual writing class. She was getting extremely frustrated and I could tell the story in her sweet little head was “I can’t do this.” Now, I’ll admit, the environment is less than ideal… trying to write while staring at a zoom screen with 20 other 3rd graders unmuting themselves and chiming in is tough. But I also know she’s a great writer… and I know she knows it too, she just let a different story take over in the moment.

STEP TWO: Analyze those moments. During the lunch break we took a moment to talk about her writing struggle. We discussed how she was feeling during the assignment and she shared those definitive statements that are textbook self-storytelling hooks. “I’m not a good writer.” “I don’t know how to write a story.” “I can never think of anything to write about.” They sound so convincing and whether you’re 8 years old or 40, it’s easy to get caught up in the downward spiral of it all. We needed a rewrite, stat!

STEP THREE: Rewrite. After listening to my daughter’s concerns, I gently asked her if she remembered the award she won at the end of the school year last year. She looked at me blankly at first, and then gradually her expression changed as she recalled the “Best Writer” certificate she received. I told her the story of the award, how proud her teachers were of her and how proud she was of herself and all her hard work.

“But they just gave that to me because YOU are a writer,” she immediately protested. This is to be expected — stories that don’t serve us often dig in deeper when they sense their hold on us is being threatened. I gently reminded her of all the different things she wrote about last year — the dolphin book, the many stories she wrote about a character named Violet. The how-to book about ballet… I shared story after story after story that illustrated her ability to write and with each one, I could see the new story regaining control.

The next writing session she sat down and I watched as the words practically flew off the tip of her pencil and onto the page.

******

It is my hope that these weekly messages not only help you transform YOUR story, but that perhaps they can be the beginning of a bigger movement. Now that you know the process, think how many lives you can change simply by helping them rewrite the stories they tell themselves.

That’s all for now. I hope this helps you in the week ahead. And of course, if we’re not already connected on social media, come find me on Instagram @kindrahall and follow @successmagazine for more inspiring stories.

You can also subscribe to the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast and Success Magazine to hear and read great stories any time you want.

To your Success story,

Sunday, October 18, 2020

How to Win the Battle With Your Inner-Storyteller

Hello hello! Welcome to another week of Sunday Stories!

This is where we take just a few minutes and, instead of dealing with the Sunday “scaries,” we look inward at the stories we’ve been telling ourselves this week and change them for the better so we have nothing to fear about the week (and the life!) ahead.

As always, I like to start by reviewing the steps to the Sunday Stories exercise:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal. Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those. Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it a different way? And then, after all that story work… Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Here is the story I was working on this week — I’ll go through it step-by-step.

STEP ONE: Reflect on the week that passed. I don’t know about you, but sometimes this step is the hardest one for me! Does anybody else’s life go by in a blur?! If you haven’t already figured out this trick, I go back and take a look at my calendar. That usually jogs my memory and helps me identify a few stories from the week.

STEP TWO: Analyze those moments. The moment I decided to work on this week stemmed from a rejection. Someone I had reached out to and invited onto the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast, (check it out here and subscribe if you haven’t already), turned me down. This itself wasn’t SUPER bad, but then a person I follow announced that they were interviewing that exact same guest later that day. For whatever reason, that triggered a conversation in my head that went something like “What made you think that person would want to talk to you in the first place?” and “You aren’t making enough of a difference in people’s lives” and the snide inner-narrator continued.

I hope you know that this is by no means a cry for sympathy or praise. I share this inner-storyteller with you, week after week, so that you can see how automatic it is… even for me! And I KNOW better!

STEP THREE: Rewrite. Clearly, this story was doing me no good. To stop the negative-Nancy rambling, I immediately searched for a story in my past when I DID make a difference for someone.

It was almost ten years ago and I spoke to a group of young women who had all suffered various forms of trauma, abuse, trafficking and addiction. We talked about various things, including turning a story of pain into one that can help others. At the end of the session, one of the young women came up to me. She looked so tough… she had been through so much. She told me that she had borrowed a copy of my self-published book from the facility’s library… that she had read it cover to cover… and that there was one story that she wanted to talk to me about. I nodded.

She continued by breaking down the message (it was a story about Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz) in ways I hadn’t even considered. She then pulled from her pocket a stack of notebook pages, all folded up, where she had written her OWN story. She started reading pieces of it to me, her eyes ablaze. And at the end she said, “I think I want to be an author too. I have stories to tell.” She nodded and walked out of the room. I never saw that girl again… but I knew in that moment, I had made an impact on her.

Of course, I don’t share that story with you to brag — in fact, I’ve NEVER shared that story. It’s one I keep in my memory and use in moments like the one I had this week. When my inner-storyteller was trying to belittle me, I silenced her with a stronger story than the one she was telling.

STEP FOUR: Plan for the week ahead. I was very intentional about my plan for next week. Based on the strong reaction my inner-storyteller had this week, I realized that this might be an ongoing battle between the two of us, and I am going to need some new material & new stories to tell myself.

I set a goal and made a plan to find at least one specific, measurable way to make a difference in someone’s life this week so I will have a NEW story to tell the next time my inner-teller tries to make me believe otherwise.

That is all for this week! I hope this helps and that you are able to make some important story changes this week.

As always, you can find me on Instagram @kindrahall and follow @successmagazine for more inspiring stories. You can also subscribe to the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast and Success Magazine to hear and read great stories any time you want. I’ll be back next week — until then, cheering for you and your Success story,

Sunday, October 25, 2020

My Story of Self-POWER

Happy Sunday to you! Welcome back to Sunday Stories, where we take just a few minutes out of our Sunday evenings to work on the stories we tell ourselves to ensure a better, brighter week ahead.

Before I get into it though — I want to make sure we’re connected in all the ways we can be. Do you follow @successmagazine on Instagram? Are you and I connected on Instagram and Facebook? I’d love to hear from you!

All right, let’s get to it. Before I share my own personal Sunday Story experience from this week, here is a review of the process:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Here’s the story that came up for me this week.

STEP ONE: Reflect on the week that passed. This week was one of the busiest I’ve had — not just since the pandemic, but maybe ever. Lots of calls. Lots of events. Lots of writing and moving big things forward. Not to mention my kids were learning virtually 3 out of the 5 days this week. And while I am SO grateful for the work, it triggered an old story:

“I can’t handle this.”

I caught myself repeating that old mantra several times and, because I’ve learned so much even about myself just by writing this to you each week… I knew what to do about it, which brings me to Step Two.

STEP TWO: Analyze those moments. Truly the key to this self-storytelling method is stretching out the gap between having one of those soundbites (I can’t handle this) and the action that comes next just enough that you’re able to evaluate where that statement is coming from and whether or not it serves you.

Clearly the “I can’t handle this” statement is a detrimental one on so many levels… but I decided to analyze whether or not it was true. Were there stories in my past where I was so busy I truly couldn’t handle it?

Now, there’s a chance the answer could be yes for some people. Maybe they took on too much and projects started falling apart. Or maybe someone was so busy all the time and their marriage ended as a result. Let’s be clear — sometimes these statements AREN’T FALSE and I’ll talk more about that another time. But for now, for me, for this week… I searched back through my life and couldn’t think of a story when I truly couldn’t handle all the craziness. I came close. I’ve had to make serious adjustments and conscious course-corrections….. But that’s just the thing….. In those moments, I DID HANDLE IT.

Which, yes, is the OPPOSITE of the story I’ve been telling myself.

STEP THREE: Rewrite. In this case…. It wasn’t so much as reWRITE, but reCHOOSE. I chose to tell myself the stories of the times I DID handle it which instantly put me in a position of self-POWER vs. self-LOATHING. It removed some of the anxiety and replaced it with gratitude and a sense of purpose. It was a complete 180 all because I chose different stories to tell.

STEP FOUR: Plan for the week ahead. Actually, this was the best part this week. Because now instead of playing small when planning for the week ahead (you know, because “I can’t handle it”), I’m actually planning big and am excited about it instead of unsure.

So there you have it! I hope this week provides a breakthrough for you as well and if you don’t already, go subscribe to the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast and Success Magazine to hear and read great stories any time you want. I’ll be back next week — until then, cheering for you and your Success story,

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Rewriting My Story to ENJOY Life

Happy Sunday to you! And if you’re in the United States (except Arizona), happy daylight savings time. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to the sun coming up a little earlier.

Are you ready to work on the stories you tell yourself? Let’s do it! (If this is your first week — get the full rundown here:

Before I share my own personal Sunday Story experience from this week, here is a review of the process:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 2: Analyze those moments. Take a minute and assess what you wrote down. Are there hidden beliefs in there? Thought processes or self-talk that could be holding you back or could propel you forward? Make note of those.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Here’s the story that came up for me this week.

STEP ONE: Reflect on the week that passed. If you tuned in last week, I shared that it was one of the busiest weeks I’ve had. This week felt completely different. Fewer calls, more “open time” to work without things on my calendar. For my Sunday Stories exercise, I compared the two weeks and considered my feelings about each. The insane week where I didn’t have a spare minute exhausted me, but felt satisfying in the end. The slower week left me feeling anxious and inadequate at the end and throughout. Interesting, right?

I thought there might be some stories there to take a look at.

STEP TWO: Analyze those moments. My whole life, the way I measured my success, my happiness, my contribution to the world was by how few spare minutes I had throughout any given day. Some kids would get a summer job, I would get 3. Some students would join a club at school, I would join 10 and try to chair all of them. I once took two classes at once in high school. I would go to half of one, leave, and go to half of the other.

I have a lifetime of these stories — stories that equate success to a calendar that’s bursting at the seams. But just because I have so many of them… does that make them right? Or true? Or the only option?

STEP THREE: Rewrite. If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s the art of slowing down. Now, that’s not to say I didn’t go into this lesson kicking and screaming, but now, 8 months in, I think I’m getting the hang of it. The problem is, my lifetime story bank of over-scheduling is causing some friction. I decided to take a look at the past eight months and make a list of all the things I’ve accomplished even with a calendar that was overall more open. Now the next time I feel anxious because I’m “not busy enough,” I can tell myself the story behind one of those accomplishments and ultimately, over time, change the way I experience and enjoy my LIFE.

STEP FOUR: Plan for the days ahead. Plan for the week ahead. I took a look at the upcoming week in preparation — I’ve got some full days and some empty ones. Which means… LOTS of opportunities to practice telling myself these new stories. I’m excited!

All right — that’s all for now. I’ll be back next week — in the meantime, make sure to subscribe to the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast (I’m super excited about the episode that launches on Tuesday).

Sunday, November 8, 2020

These Times Call for Positive Stories

It’s here! Another Sunday. The beginning of a new week and an opportunity to CHOOSE the stories we tell ourselves. And I don’t know about you, but now more than ever I’m feeling the need for great stories.

AND here is a review of the process:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

And while I usually share a story that came up for ME this week, instead I wanted to share a general self-storytelling practice that has served me well and that is: During challenging times or times of stress or uncertainty, be sure to take extra time to feed yourself positive stories.

Tough times — either for you individually or as a collective whole — are inevitable and they are different for everyone. For some the holidays are tough. The whole of 2020 has been tough. And naturally, with tough times, often comes negative stories. Again, I’m not suggesting you should or that you even CAN avoid those stories; however, one thing you CAN do is consciously take in more GOOD stories.

Now, if you’re reading this, you’re already on the right track! You’re a part of the SUCCESS community which is all about telling the stories that will fuel your hope and confidence. You can open up the most recent issue of SUCCESS magazine and check out the story about Payal Kadakia — her interview is SO inspiring. I think the interview with Deepak Chopra on the SUCCESS Stories podcast is one of the best places to go for positive, hopeful stories. If you are a parent (and a mother in particular) and have ever wondered if it’s possible to achieve the success you dream of, go listen immediately…. And those are just a FEW of the places to go for great stories.

Whether you’re using the self-storytelling method I’ve taught you or you’re actively consuming positive stories from other sources, the point is the same: You get to choose! And while the hard stories are sometimes a necessary part of life, you can choose to add some positive ones in the mix to help balance it all out.

All right! That’s all for now. Please feel free to let me know what stories you’ve been telling yourself this week — tag me on Instagram so I can see them!

As always, cheering for you and your Success story,

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Time to Take Your First step

Hello hello and welcome to another Sunday Stories session!

Before we get into it… are we connected socially? I’m easy to find on Instagram and Facebook and make sure you’re up to date with all things SUCCESS on Instagram and Facebook too.

Are you ready to work on the stories you tell yourself? Let’s do it!

Here is a review of the process:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Got it?! Good.

However, there’s still a chance that you might run into problems throughout the process — little glitches buried in each step that can keep you from full transformation. For the next few weeks, I want to focus on troubleshooting strategies to help you when that happens.

This week, we’ll focus on Step One.

STEP ONE: Reflect on the week that passed. When I sat down to work on my Sunday Stories, I’ll admit, I kind of went blank on this step. Have you ever had that happen? When you really can’t remember anything from the week before? If this happens to you, here are a few pieces of troubleshooting advice.

1. Open up your calendar. Different self-story moments pop up depending on where we are and what we’re doing. When you see “Sales Pitch” on your calendar last Monday, it might remind you of the feelings of nerves right before (a story you could change) or the feeling of accomplishment you felt after (a story you should capture and keep for future reference).

2. Look through your photos. One of the great things about having a camera at your fingertips is we often capture story-moments throughout the week without knowing it. Take a look through the photos on your phone and see if any self-stories emerge.

For my blank this week, I went back to my calendar and saw that the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast with Jen Sincero, the author of the runaway best-seller You Are A Badass, released (check it out here if you haven’t already — and be sure to leave a review!) That event on my calendar reminded me of the day I interviewed her and how incredibly nervous I was. Actually, it was MORE than nerves — it was debilitating doubt that eventually transformed into self-sabotage. I researched and researched and read and read everything I could in preparation and then all-but memorized the questions I wanted to ask her. And in doing so… I was unable to be “in the moment” for much of the interview and being “in the moment” is CRITICAL to a great interview. Thankfully, Jen is a pro and the interview is a great one. But looking back at my calendar and that moment gave me an opportunity to revisit a lesson I learned and solidify a story I can tell myself the next time I have a high-stakes interview.

All right — that’s all for now. I’ll be back next week with more troubleshooting strategies — in the meantime, make sure to subscribe to the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast (I’m super excited about the episode that launches on Tuesday).

As always, cheering for you and your Success story,

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Are your past stories holding you back?

Hey there! Welcome to another Sunday Stories session!

First, have you listened to the Success Stories with Kindra Hall podcast yet? If so…. Would you PLEASE (yes, all caps) leave a review? Reviews are SO important, for many reasons, one of which is getting more great listeners (like you) and the other is getting great guests! Guests want to join podcasts people love. Thank you so much in advance for taking a second to write a review — I am SO grateful!

Alright… this week we’re continuing our troubleshooting series. What do you do if you get stuck in any one of the steps for better self-storytelling.

Here is a review of the process:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

As we discussed last week, sometimes depending on various factors, you can get hung up on one step or another. Last week, we focused on troubleshooting for step one. I bet you can guess what we’re focusing on this week… step three.

No. I’m kidding. Step 2.

STEP TWO: Analyze those moments. One of the biggest challenges with this step is the very nature of it. Once you’ve identified moments in your week, it’s not always easy to identify -stories- within those moments that are holding you back. The stories we tell ourselves are so automatic and often invisible that, without significant effort, it’s difficult even to notice they’re there, which is detrimental if they’re negative stories. If you find yourself struggling with this step, here’s my number one troubleshooting strategy:

Look for “I am” statements.

I am always late.

I am a terrible procrastinator.

I am never consistent with exercise.

I am so bad with money.

“I am” statements are born from old stories. Consider these statements flares in the dark — signaling where you need help. For example, this was another big week for me — with things changing by the day, it’s a bit crazy right now for all of us. When I looked back over the week, no immediate stories jumped out.

What DID jump out was the repetition of this “I am” statement: I am a terrible procrastinator. That “I am” statement led me to a deep vein of old storytelling that has been holding me back — the time I handed in my Johnny Tremain project late in 5th grade. The time I handed in my paper about the Great Depression late in 8th grade. The time I started writing my huge Organizational Comm paper the night before it was due and took short naps every 45 minutes to finsish in time… and that is just scratching the surface.

Of course, Step Three is all about replacing and reframing those stories, but we’ll save that for next week.

If you’ve been struggling to analyze stories that are holding you back, look for “I am” statements… they are usually the tip of a big story-iceberg.

I hope you have a great week ahead and if we aren’t already… Let’s connect on social media. I’m easy to find on Instagram and Facebook and make sure you’re up to date with all things SUCCESS on Instagram and Facebook too.

Cheering for you and your Success stories,

Sunday, November 29, 2020

3 Ideas to Help Rewrite Your Story

Hey there! Welcome to another Sunday Stories session!

Alright… this week, we’re continuing our troubleshooting series. What do you do if you get stuck in any one of the steps for better self-storytelling?

Here is a review of the process:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — challenging moments, incredible moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come, so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it a different way? And then, after all that story work…

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

Today — let’s talk about step number three — the step where, once you determine a story isn’t working for you, you rewrite that story, so it serves you better.

Of course, that SOUNDS easy to do…

But as you might have realized, when it comes to personal development and changing invisible narratives, things aren’t always as easy as they seem. Here are a few ideas if you’re struggling with Step 3.

1. Focus on the common denominator. If you’re struggling with the story that you don’t speak out at work, it might be difficult to tell yourself a story of when you DID speak out at work if you truly never have. Instead, focus on a different area of your life where you DO speak out.

Maybe it’s with your family at the holidays, or if you see someone littering. Maybe you are the most vocal of your friends. While these situations are NOT work-related, they ARE “speaking out” related. Focusing on the common denominator (speaking out) will help you rewrite your story.

2. Ask a friend or family member. I’ve always been self-conscious about my sense of personal style. A hidden self-story of mine was that if I happened to put a cute outfit together, it was more luck than skill. But then one evening, I was out to dinner with my extremely fashionable sister. She told me stories of when I was in high school and how she’d always admired my individual style. She even cited a few specific outfits.

Hearing fashion stories from her and her perspective completely reshaped how I saw myself and the stories in my head. If you’re looking to rewrite a particular story but can’t find a suitable replacement, ask a friend or relative you know well. They may hold the exact story you need.

3. Stay away from fiction. You’ve heard the phrase “The truth is better than fiction…” The same is true when it comes to rewriting your stories. Your goal shouldn’t be to make up a story — to “imagine” your way to a better life.

Fiction will be much less compelling than REAL stories. While there are ways to use future-stories effectively, it is better to find a REAL story before writing a fake one.

I hope this helps you as you plan for the week ahead. As always, you can connect with me and the whole SUCCESS community on social media — I’m easy to find on Instagram and Facebook and make sure you’re up to date with all things SUCCESS on Instagram and Facebook too.

Cheering for you and your Success stories,

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Planning, Your Key to Ultimate Control

Hey there! Welcome to another Sunday Stories session.

Today is a monumental day — it is our 20th week of Sunday Stories!! Can you believe it?! 5 months of working on the stories you tell yourself so that you can achieve greater levels of success you seek.

Here is a review of the process as a whole:

Step 1: Reflect on the week that passed. Spend time identifying the events that happened in the past week — hard moments, awesome moments, big and small moments — and write them in a journal.

Step 3: Rewrite. If there was a story from last week that wasn’t serving you, consider how you could rewrite it for the week to come so it has a better ending. Could you shift your perspective and approach it a different way? And then, after all that story work…

Step 4: Plan for the days ahead. Include something you want to accomplish this week and the steps to make it happen.

This week is the final week of our troubleshooting series, where we will be focusing on the final step — planning for the days ahead.

Now, making a plan for the week ahead is not a NEW concept for you. Many, many personal development experts and daily-planner // journal creators will tell you that the best way to start a week is with a plan. So instead of giving you a troubleshooting lesson, I want to provide you with a little self-storytelling twist on this well-known activity for success.

As you’ve learned throughout the past 20 weeks, the stories we tell ourselves are extremely powerful. The more we intentionally manage them, the better our lives can be. Today, when you arrive at Step 4 in the process, I want you to take a look at the week ahead.

Identify potential opportunities where your negative stories might take the wheel and start driving your ship into undesirable waters.

Here are a few examples to get you started:

Do you have a big meeting coming up? How often do you tell yourself your thoughts don’t matter, so you don’t contribute? Plan to tell yourself a story that will give you the courage to make sure your voice is heard.
Are you planning to make some progress on your holiday to-do list? Does that endeavor automatically ignites a spiral of negative stories focused on your perceived inadequacies? Make a plan for stories you can tell yourself that will realign you with the joy of the season.
Is your son or daughter learning from home? Are you trying to balance it all and every morning begins with a rush of frustration? Make a plan for the stories you’ll tell yourself before the day starts and as the day progresses to keep your head in the right place.
Are you struggling to stay consistent with a health and wellness routine? Make a plan for the story you will tell yourself when the reasons (excuses) for not exercising start to creep in.

You’ve been working over the past five months to rework the stories you tell yourself… all that work will mean a lot more if you have a plan to implement it. I hope this message will help you do just that!

As always, you can connect with me and the whole SUCCESS community on social media — I’m easy to find on Instagram and Facebook and make sure you’re up to date with all things SUCCESS on Instagram and Facebook too.

Cheering for you and your Success stories!

Kindra Hall

Kindra Hall is the bestselling author of Stories That Stick and a sought-after keynote speaker. She is the president of Steller Collective, a marketing agency focused on the power of storytelling to overcome communication challenges.

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Sunday Stories With Kindra Hall

Introducing Sunday Stories…

A Story About Moving in a Pandemic…

A Story About My Fitness Journey…

A Story About Feeling Inadequate…

Your story won’t make sense until the end…

The difference between influence and influencer…

Does your voice deserved to be heard?

How to Create Calm

This is how I WIN against the naysayers.

Which OLD story will help you this week?

My Story of LOVE

A Story About Taking That Big Risk

Helping Someone With Their Story

How to Win the Battle With Your Inner-Storyteller

My Story of Self-POWER

Rewriting My Story to ENJOY Life

These Times Call for Positive Stories

Time to Take Your First step

Are your past stories holding you back?

3 Ideas to Help Rewrite Your Story

Planning, Your Key to Ultimate Control

Kindra Hall

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