Here’s what people are saying about their relationship to joy in nature, in response to the prompts Tami Spry is providing in celebration of Earth Day 2024. Enjoy…and submit your own! Prompt 1 What is your first memory of experiencing joy in nature? “My first memory of experiencing joy in nature is from my childhood home in the suburbs of Boston. We lived in front of a swamp with frogs, turtles, snakes, etc. My brother and I would go to the swamp every summer with nets to try and catch a frog. It took a lot of discipline for a seven and twelve-year-old to swiftly catch a frog. When caught, my ..read more

Monday, April 22nd is Earth Day and in the week leading up to it, we’re celebrating our second annual #LPAEarthStories campaign by inviting you to Share Your Stories of Joy in Nature!  The idea behind #LPAEarthStories—taking time to reflect on personal stories of nature—was prompted by the work of nature/culture writer (and LPA-certified coach) Dr. Tami Spry. VIEW TODAY'S PROMPT This year, Tami will literally prompt us—providing four intriguing questions between April 15-22 to spark personal reflections on our joyful relationships with nature. We’ll ask you to contribute those reflections ..read more

Readers of our Storytelling for Advocacy blog in 2023 were drawn to these top five posts, which contained helpful tips for advocates, inspirational stories and downloadable resources. I’m getting ready to speak. Should I write out my story? One of the most common questions we’re asked. Here are five tips for exploring “blended composing.” Stacy thrall: a path defined by advocacy storytelling The path to advocacy is rarely a straight line. Read Stacy’s winding journey to becoming a effective mental health advocate and LPA-certified coach. representation matters: the story behind all voices This ..read more

ALL VOICES is a free eight-week professional development program for individuals who want to do the kind of work we are so fortunate to do at Living Proof Advocacy—helping others tap the power of their personal stories—and who identify as from groups underrepresented in communication and related fields: those who identify as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latino/a/x/e, Asian or Asian American, multiracial/multiethnic, LGBTQIA+, gender non-conforming, two-spirit and/or as having disabilities.  What are “related fields”? Glad you’ve asked (as have others). While our backgrounds are squarely wi ..read more

Over the past decade, the popularity of podcasts has skyrocketed, with more than five million podcasts globally and nearly 500 million listeners. Their subjects and styles vary greatly, but we love the ones (of course) that feature personal stories from lived experience. Better still if they point toward some type of advocacy. Here are a few of our favorites. The Clutter Chronicles  In this intimate series, “Mary” takes the brave step of going public with her personal experience of hoarding—and her recovery—so others may benefit. Bev Bachel wrote about this ongoing conversation between M ..read more

Book clubs are a great way to encounter fascinating characters with powerful stories. Fascinating characters—like you! A core premise of our book Living Proof: Telling Your Story to Make a Difference is that all of us have stories worth sharing when it comes to advocating for what we believe in. Why not use a book club to explore your story and those of your fellow book club members? Reading a book such as Living Proof in a book club setting can be rewarding and enriching. The power that comes with sharing perspectives and discussing topics that are near and dear to one’s heart can elevate lea ..read more

The organizations and advocates we work with are wonderfully diverse. But the talent pool of communication practitioners and story coaches is not. Over the next few months, we will be launching an initiative that’s been three years in the making. It’s called ALL VOICES and we’ve created it because we believe the communication field can do a better job of equitably and authentically representing and serving diverse communities of advocates. With ALL VOICES we want to help increase the number of communication practitioners and story coaches with diverse lived experiences and identities. That’s o ..read more

You’ve decided to share your personal stories to advocate for something you believe in. Fantastic! But sometimes it can be overwhelming to figure out which stories to tell and where to begin. An important first step in the process of deciding what to tell is to pull back and consider what happened? And what do I know?—to explore everything in your experience that is potential story material. Public advocacy begins with private reflection—so before you worry about focusing and crafting your advocacy, take time for some free, unfettered exploration. Discoveries await Reflecting on your experienc ..read more

In celebration of Earth Day this year we launched #LPAEarthStories, a campaign to draw focus to the importance of sharing personal stories about our relationships with the natural world. The idea had been brewing for some time, prompted by the growing research on how personal storytelling can inspire us to take action on climate change, such as this study from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. But the immediate impetus for the campaign—aside from Earth Day, April 22—was the work of one of our coaches, Dr. Tami Spry. Tami is a vocal advocate for “being in constant conversation w ..read more

According to a recent Gallup poll, 89 percent of Americans say they are either “completely” or “somewhat” satisfied with their job. Does that mean millions of Americans have found their “dream job?” Not necessarily, says Arthur C. Brooks of The Atlantic. “To be happy at work,” says Brooks, “you don’t have to hold a fascinating job that represents the pinnacle of your educational achievement or the most prestigious use of your ‘potential.’ Satisfaction comes from people, values, and a sense of accomplishment.” That’s a truth that mental health advocate, speaker and LPA-certified coach Stacy Thr ..read more