Personal Story

In this first sentence, share one specific moment of significance.

Next, put the reader in your shoes. Go back to that moment and show the reader what life looked like. What was going on in the time—outside in your physical world, and inside in your emotional world? What were some of your wants and needs at the time? What physical objects populated your experience? What was on your desk? What did your bedroom look like, your house, apartment, or dorm room? What was your biggest insecurity at the time, and what was the thing you appreciated most about yourself?

Now, tell the reader why you wanted to change.

In one bolded sentence, tell the reader what you hoped for yourself.

Back then, where did you want your life to go? Who did you want to become? What were your aspirations, and why was it so important for you to change? What did you hope would happen as a result? Most importantly, what were you searching for? What did changing represent, and what did you think (at the time) was going to happen once you achieved that change?

Now, fast-forward: in one sentence, tell the reader whether you were right or not.

In one bolded sentence, tell the reader what that change actually led to.

Were you let down? Or did things turn out better than you even imagined?

Explain to the reader what caused the change, how you changed, and how things were different after the fact. What were the unintended consequences? How did it impact other aspects of your life: your friendships, relationships, sense of self, finances, spirituality, etc.?

What was the result?

Finally, in one bolded sentence, tell the reader the morale of the story.

Why are you sharing this with the reader?

More importantly, what can they learn about themselves, through you?