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365 ALIVE!: Find your voice. Claim your story. Live your brilliant life.
“ 365 ALIVE! Is a journey into the center of the storyteller’s how to understand and use your story to create the well lived life and change the status quo. Part inspiration, part workbook, you will learn what takes storytellers, story activists, and change agents years to learn; how to change your world through the power of narrative.” -- Mark Jenkins, Host of 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling , North America’s longest running storytelling open mic event
Your story determines how you see things and who you can be as a result. It influences whether you feel powerless or powerful, colors how you define success and happiness, underpins every action you take. When you wake up to the stories at work in your life you suddenly step into the position of power. Story stops being what defines you and becomes your ally. 365 ALIVE! Is a wake up call to the power and practice of story.
If you are ◆ Feeling overwhelmed or perplexed, like you’re standing at a crossroads unsure of who you are now ◆ Longing to be in your life with power and passion, but feel stuck ◆ Wondering what comes next, saying to “There’s got to be more than this!”
… then 365 ALIVE! Is for you. In this provocative and revolutionary guide you’ll find a companion to support you on the journey of transforming your life for the better through discovering the power and potential of your own stories. Part inspiration, part workbook, 365 ALIVE! will show you what takes storytellers, story activists, and change agents years to how to change your world through the power of storytelling.
Inside 365 ALIVE! you will find ◆ A guidebook to uncovering how the stories you hold -- both known and yet to be discovered -- are influencing who you are. Learn to shape the stories shaping you. ◆ Strategies to take leadership in your life through finding out your drivers and deepest motivations. Your stories hold the keys to start living your brilliant life. ◆ A field guide to understanding why stories are the human superpower and how to use them to positively shape your future. Find out how to use story practice to step into your potent future. ◆ Beautiful images and thought provoking quotes that will stimulate and engage you in more deeply understanding yourself and the world. 365 ALIVE! Is a resource you will return to again and again. ◆ A fifty-two week journey into the power and practice of story for yourself and those you care about. Take the journey step-by-step or dip in as you please. 365 ALIVE! was created to be thought-provoking, stretching and also highly practical. Each of the fifty-two weeks features three ★ “ THINK ABOUT ”: an exploration of the theme offered for the week ★ “ TAKE ACTION ”: practical tasks you can work with to explore the power of story ★ “ HAVE A LOOK ”: Books, movies, videos, talks and other resources to further deepen the focus for the week
Your story determines how you see things and who you can be as a result. It influences whether you feel powerless or powerful, colors how you define success and happiness, underpins every action you take. When you wake up to the stories at work in your life you suddenly step into the position of power. Story stops being what defines you and becomes your ally. 365 ALIVE! Is a wake up call to the power and practice of story.
If you are ◆ Feeling overwhelmed or perplexed, like you’re standing at a crossroads unsure of who you are now ◆ Longing to be in your life with power and passion, but feel stuck ◆ Wondering what comes next, saying to “There’s got to be more than this!”
… then 365 ALIVE! Is for you. In this provocative and revolutionary guide you’ll find a companion to support you on the journey of transforming your life for the better through discovering the power and potential of your own stories. Part inspiration, part workbook, 365 ALIVE! will show you what takes storytellers, story activists, and change agents years to how to change your world through the power of storytelling.
Inside 365 ALIVE! you will find ◆ A guidebook to uncovering how the stories you hold -- both known and yet to be discovered -- are influencing who you are. Learn to shape the stories shaping you. ◆ Strategies to take leadership in your life through finding out your drivers and deepest motivations. Your stories hold the keys to start living your brilliant life. ◆ A field guide to understanding why stories are the human superpower and how to use them to positively shape your future. Find out how to use story practice to step into your potent future. ◆ Beautiful images and thought provoking quotes that will stimulate and engage you in more deeply understanding yourself and the world. 365 ALIVE! Is a resource you will return to again and again. ◆ A fifty-two week journey into the power and practice of story for yourself and those you care about. Take the journey step-by-step or dip in as you please. 365 ALIVE! was created to be thought-provoking, stretching and also highly practical. Each of the fifty-two weeks features three ★ “ THINK ABOUT ”: an exploration of the theme offered for the week ★ “ TAKE ACTION ”: practical tasks you can work with to explore the power of story ★ “ HAVE A LOOK ”: Books, movies, videos, talks and other resources to further deepen the focus for the week
296 pages, Paperback
Published December 7, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 28, 2021
For years I have been a student and practitioner of storytelling, going back to my business school days when I first met the author, Mary Alice Arthur. This is why I am so thrilled to see this culmination of her years of work in the storytelling space in her latest book, 365 Alive. This book is a collection of 52 weekly exercises to explore our own story and how it impacts our effectiveness in the world, both today and in creating the future.
Part 1 of the book, "Getting Started with Story" is a nice kick off, explaining the purpose, logic, cadence and potential of this book. Part 2 focuses on "Mapping Your Personal Storyfield" giving good insights for developing one's own personal story. Part 3, "Story at Work in the World", carries on to examine how one's story can be used in their work as professionals, managers and leaders. Part 4, "Your Future Story" finally, carries us into how we use our story to create the future world that we most want to fruition. 365 Alive is a 52 week exploration of how story works around and within us.
Week to week, this book is designed to function as a sort of devotional, each with an orderly structure of: a) reflection, b) exercise, and c) prompt to action, creating a 3-part cadence of "Take Action", "Have A Look" and "Think About"
I see this book as a great candidate for a year-long book club or [story] support group.
From a graphic design standpoint, this book is as scannable, as it is readable, with a collection of images, subheads, and pull quotes that could stand on their own as a separate coffee table book or card deck, if the author so chose.
A few of the story related ideas in this book that particularly resonated with me were:
* story activism, that of working with stories to discover and activate the greatest potential in people, places and things,
* the therapeutic nature of stories, even as the author assures us that this book is not a book on therapy. While I get her point, informally, I beg to differ.
If you're a story practitioner or a student this book will significantly sharpen your saw
It is difficult to imagine that I would be persistent enough to stay with this book for 52 weeks.
What's nice though is that I see that I could come back to this book over and over again at different times throughout the year rather seamlessly. I can even pick different topics across the 52 weeks.
I guess it goes without saying I recommend this book and am already thinking about forming a story group for accountable benefit.
Part 1 of the book, "Getting Started with Story" is a nice kick off, explaining the purpose, logic, cadence and potential of this book. Part 2 focuses on "Mapping Your Personal Storyfield" giving good insights for developing one's own personal story. Part 3, "Story at Work in the World", carries on to examine how one's story can be used in their work as professionals, managers and leaders. Part 4, "Your Future Story" finally, carries us into how we use our story to create the future world that we most want to fruition. 365 Alive is a 52 week exploration of how story works around and within us.
Week to week, this book is designed to function as a sort of devotional, each with an orderly structure of: a) reflection, b) exercise, and c) prompt to action, creating a 3-part cadence of "Take Action", "Have A Look" and "Think About"
I see this book as a great candidate for a year-long book club or [story] support group.
From a graphic design standpoint, this book is as scannable, as it is readable, with a collection of images, subheads, and pull quotes that could stand on their own as a separate coffee table book or card deck, if the author so chose.
A few of the story related ideas in this book that particularly resonated with me were:
* story activism, that of working with stories to discover and activate the greatest potential in people, places and things,
* the therapeutic nature of stories, even as the author assures us that this book is not a book on therapy. While I get her point, informally, I beg to differ.
If you're a story practitioner or a student this book will significantly sharpen your saw
It is difficult to imagine that I would be persistent enough to stay with this book for 52 weeks.
What's nice though is that I see that I could come back to this book over and over again at different times throughout the year rather seamlessly. I can even pick different topics across the 52 weeks.
I guess it goes without saying I recommend this book and am already thinking about forming a story group for accountable benefit.
September 20, 2021
“Claim Your Story”
I “get” that this book was meant for 365 days -- I couldn’t stop reading! It just “filled me up” so quickly awakening a hunger for more. The “juice” in this book brought alive a fruitful energy imperceptibly stored in my cells that felt suddenly squeezed open and bursting with a fresh taste for the nectar of “story.” In deep, ripe bites, story is activated in countless layers with the authors clear, flavorful everyday language rousing deep thought and piercing insight. It is a bottomless fruit basket bearing 365 days of food cultivated from worldly rich soils.
Ah, the power of story is so well spoken here. When reading it, I relive my own story of story. As an elected official, I was lamenting to my friend how difficult it was to be both loved and hated by so many people — neither of which really knew me. In a small, local gift shop once I witnessed animated ladies sharing made-up stories of me -- while I stood close outside their chattering circle, their bogus stories piercing me like poison darts. All this while they looked my way not even aware that I was “that person” the main character in their hurtful story.In retelling this moment in shame to my friend, she said, “This is not my story about you. It is not your story about you. And, the thing is, you get to choose the story you most want to be about.” Her words changed the course of my perspective on story. Mary Alice Arthur’s words on story do that again, 100x magnified. Powerful words. Powerful work. Powerfully whole.
This book is an intriguing voyage into story and its mighty engine power to shape who we are and how we be. Your stories, my stories, our shared community stories. 365 ALIVE! contains carefully selected pictures captioned with insightful inquiry, reflective questions inviting an inner quest for stretching, fresh ideas for building story skills and the recipe for telling stories that expands our “way of being” both in and for the world.
I am so excited about this book! It is beautiful, practical, sensitive and bold. It offers simple yet knotty prompts for reflective consideration in any form… journaling with your fingers or cycling with your toes…wherever your mind goes when it craves mental space for perspicacity.
This book winds together multiple strands of story bringing an invitation to follow the golden thread that constructs our narratives, ignites our inner “story activist,” and shapes the body disposition from which we sculpt our world view. We become alert to: what stories are we telling…what stories are we hearing…what stories are we most listening to… and why does story matter?
This book brings a story, within a story, inside another story, within a life… And it even comes with pictures! It lures you into an intentional way of story activism. It invites a reframing of old stories--glimpsing multiple truths perhaps. It expands your magical story powers--offering tools for building stories and discovering new insight. It can be both a great reference for learning awareness and practical guide for thought meditation or journaling. This book will bring our “Self” to unravel the stories within our “Selves” that have just been in there holding in, holding on, patiently waiting for the right moment to be told.
I “get” that this book was meant for 365 days -- I couldn’t stop reading! It just “filled me up” so quickly awakening a hunger for more. The “juice” in this book brought alive a fruitful energy imperceptibly stored in my cells that felt suddenly squeezed open and bursting with a fresh taste for the nectar of “story.” In deep, ripe bites, story is activated in countless layers with the authors clear, flavorful everyday language rousing deep thought and piercing insight. It is a bottomless fruit basket bearing 365 days of food cultivated from worldly rich soils.
Ah, the power of story is so well spoken here. When reading it, I relive my own story of story. As an elected official, I was lamenting to my friend how difficult it was to be both loved and hated by so many people — neither of which really knew me. In a small, local gift shop once I witnessed animated ladies sharing made-up stories of me -- while I stood close outside their chattering circle, their bogus stories piercing me like poison darts. All this while they looked my way not even aware that I was “that person” the main character in their hurtful story.In retelling this moment in shame to my friend, she said, “This is not my story about you. It is not your story about you. And, the thing is, you get to choose the story you most want to be about.” Her words changed the course of my perspective on story. Mary Alice Arthur’s words on story do that again, 100x magnified. Powerful words. Powerful work. Powerfully whole.
This book is an intriguing voyage into story and its mighty engine power to shape who we are and how we be. Your stories, my stories, our shared community stories. 365 ALIVE! contains carefully selected pictures captioned with insightful inquiry, reflective questions inviting an inner quest for stretching, fresh ideas for building story skills and the recipe for telling stories that expands our “way of being” both in and for the world.
I am so excited about this book! It is beautiful, practical, sensitive and bold. It offers simple yet knotty prompts for reflective consideration in any form… journaling with your fingers or cycling with your toes…wherever your mind goes when it craves mental space for perspicacity.
This book winds together multiple strands of story bringing an invitation to follow the golden thread that constructs our narratives, ignites our inner “story activist,” and shapes the body disposition from which we sculpt our world view. We become alert to: what stories are we telling…what stories are we hearing…what stories are we most listening to… and why does story matter?
This book brings a story, within a story, inside another story, within a life… And it even comes with pictures! It lures you into an intentional way of story activism. It invites a reframing of old stories--glimpsing multiple truths perhaps. It expands your magical story powers--offering tools for building stories and discovering new insight. It can be both a great reference for learning awareness and practical guide for thought meditation or journaling. This book will bring our “Self” to unravel the stories within our “Selves” that have just been in there holding in, holding on, patiently waiting for the right moment to be told.
December 12, 2020
Flip Your Storyline and launch your dreams with this terrific book!
Each nugget of wisdom in this powerhouse book is worth its weight in gold. That’s one-and-a-half pounds of valuable visuals, links, suggestions, and story after story about how we can listen, create, and activate stories to imagine and re-story our world. Mary Alice Arthur has given us a terrific book full of fun, adventure, discovery, insight, and seriousness. 365 ALIVE! ignites our curiosity about who we were, who we are, and who we might become. “Stories are the library of humanity. Which shelf have you decided to play on?”
365 ALIVE! offers a 52-week format for a year of story exploration. Each week’s segment includes a powerful visual and quote followed by three sections: Think About, Take Action, and Have A Look. Thinking initiates a reflection about some angle of story, a storyteller craft tip, or how to shape or reshape stories. An action step may be simple but loaded with possibility: “Go after a story and find out if it’s really true.” Or, “Flip your storyline.”
I especially enjoyed the Have A Look segments that point us to another source--audio, video, visual, or textual--that illuminates the week’s theme in vivid sensory detail. For example, she recommends a certain movie to see “a powerful mirror of what happens when stories get stuck and when stories shift.” Or to listen to an audio version of To Be A Drum by James Earl Jones “because his voice is too good to miss.” Easily adapted to different age groups and purposes, this wonderful book can serve as a journal, a springboard for memoirs, a project planner for cool ways to share multi-generational story collecting, and community inquiries for social change.
“From humanity’s point of view, stories are an indicator of the health and vitality of human systems,” Arthur comments. Her international perspective, her foundation in folklore and storytelling, and her empathy for our common need to make sense of life all contribute to an empowering and compelling workbook. Use this centerpiece book as your go-to for a hobby, an enriching discovery process, or a game to delight your fellowship with others. “We trade stories all the time. It is an act of trust and connection to do so.”
Each nugget of wisdom in this powerhouse book is worth its weight in gold. That’s one-and-a-half pounds of valuable visuals, links, suggestions, and story after story about how we can listen, create, and activate stories to imagine and re-story our world. Mary Alice Arthur has given us a terrific book full of fun, adventure, discovery, insight, and seriousness. 365 ALIVE! ignites our curiosity about who we were, who we are, and who we might become. “Stories are the library of humanity. Which shelf have you decided to play on?”
365 ALIVE! offers a 52-week format for a year of story exploration. Each week’s segment includes a powerful visual and quote followed by three sections: Think About, Take Action, and Have A Look. Thinking initiates a reflection about some angle of story, a storyteller craft tip, or how to shape or reshape stories. An action step may be simple but loaded with possibility: “Go after a story and find out if it’s really true.” Or, “Flip your storyline.”
I especially enjoyed the Have A Look segments that point us to another source--audio, video, visual, or textual--that illuminates the week’s theme in vivid sensory detail. For example, she recommends a certain movie to see “a powerful mirror of what happens when stories get stuck and when stories shift.” Or to listen to an audio version of To Be A Drum by James Earl Jones “because his voice is too good to miss.” Easily adapted to different age groups and purposes, this wonderful book can serve as a journal, a springboard for memoirs, a project planner for cool ways to share multi-generational story collecting, and community inquiries for social change.
“From humanity’s point of view, stories are an indicator of the health and vitality of human systems,” Arthur comments. Her international perspective, her foundation in folklore and storytelling, and her empathy for our common need to make sense of life all contribute to an empowering and compelling workbook. Use this centerpiece book as your go-to for a hobby, an enriching discovery process, or a game to delight your fellowship with others. “We trade stories all the time. It is an act of trust and connection to do so.”
Currently Reading
December 12, 2020365 Alive! offers practical and informative suggestions to engage with story as a life partner: make the commitment, set up supports to stay true to our commitment, and deliberately choose when to fit this work into our week. From the get-go, Arthur invites us to choose how to embark on a year-long journey with story as a companion for exploration.
I received three gifts simply by reading the introduction and quickly flipping through the book. The first gift is to cast a vision for the story – my story – of how I choose to engage with the book. What would keep me committed for a whole year? Who would I share this sacred journey with? Do I really want to explore the role of story in my life for a whole year and invest the time and energy? Am I truly willing to shine light on stories that keep me stuck and celebrate stories of openness and generativity? And the doozie: who am I not to?
The second gift is the realization that in posing these questions to myself, I have already begun the work. I start to notice the stories behind these questions. I unpack and pack at the same time; I unpack these “am I willing?” stories while packing for a one-way journey into “here I go!” and “I wonder… what’s around this corner?” curiosity stories.
And here’s the third gift: a powerful invitation to choose what life stories to pack, carry, unpack, and leave behind with the presence and attention of being fully alive. Any book that offers an invitation this compelling before I’ve read the first chapter is a worthy investment.
Mary Alice Arthur invites us to suit up as explorers in our own lives with images, quotes, and questions as guides. Thus 365 Alive! isn’t really a book; it’s part map, part menu, part meal, and part travel guide. A quick scan through the table of contents gives us a sense of the terrain to cover over the year. Each week we receive a new table d’hote of story prompts to taste, with pairing suggestions of sights to explore (what to look for, notice, and taste in these moments) as we wander through a new place or return with fresh eyes.
I received three gifts simply by reading the introduction and quickly flipping through the book. The first gift is to cast a vision for the story – my story – of how I choose to engage with the book. What would keep me committed for a whole year? Who would I share this sacred journey with? Do I really want to explore the role of story in my life for a whole year and invest the time and energy? Am I truly willing to shine light on stories that keep me stuck and celebrate stories of openness and generativity? And the doozie: who am I not to?
The second gift is the realization that in posing these questions to myself, I have already begun the work. I start to notice the stories behind these questions. I unpack and pack at the same time; I unpack these “am I willing?” stories while packing for a one-way journey into “here I go!” and “I wonder… what’s around this corner?” curiosity stories.
And here’s the third gift: a powerful invitation to choose what life stories to pack, carry, unpack, and leave behind with the presence and attention of being fully alive. Any book that offers an invitation this compelling before I’ve read the first chapter is a worthy investment.
Mary Alice Arthur invites us to suit up as explorers in our own lives with images, quotes, and questions as guides. Thus 365 Alive! isn’t really a book; it’s part map, part menu, part meal, and part travel guide. A quick scan through the table of contents gives us a sense of the terrain to cover over the year. Each week we receive a new table d’hote of story prompts to taste, with pairing suggestions of sights to explore (what to look for, notice, and taste in these moments) as we wander through a new place or return with fresh eyes.
Currently Reading
December 28, 2020Mary Alice Arthur has woven her lifelong experience as a reader, listener and story teller into her book „365 Alive!“. She shares episodes of her own story while inviting us - her readers - to dig deep into our own. „The journey is about waking up and taking back the power of your story,“ says the Story Activist.
Mary Alice Arthur has crafted potent questions to guide us on this journey and collected beautiful pictures and meaningful quotations to spurn us on in our quest. I find myself deeply moved by the humanity that pervades „365 Alive!“.
Thank you, Mary Alice Arthur for this very powerful and inspiring book!
Mary Alice Arthur has crafted potent questions to guide us on this journey and collected beautiful pictures and meaningful quotations to spurn us on in our quest. I find myself deeply moved by the humanity that pervades „365 Alive!“.
Thank you, Mary Alice Arthur for this very powerful and inspiring book!
November 16, 2021
I will never be finished with this book because every page is so full of insight and exercises to evolve my storytelling practice and ability to pay attention to what's around me. This is one of those "keep by your bedside forever" books, and Mary Alice Arthur is a wizardess...
December 15, 2020
Loved this book! 365 ALIVE is the book we all needed, both to have the courage to rewrite our stories and for understanding how to practically do that. Beautifully designed and well-written.
May 5, 2021
A very inspiring and accessible book by visual storyteller and story activist Mary-Alice Arthur! How to (re)shape your life by (re)claiming your story now!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews