How the Power of Play Can Change a Challenging Story

08/21/24 • 28 min

My husband and I are driving to the airport for a family reunion when we both get pings on our phones. There’s a global outage. We check our tickets and plane reservations–they’re all fine. We head to the airport, and everything seems okay. The airline confirms our flight is on time, so we’re good to go.

An hour later, we get a delay, yet they assure us everything will be fine. Another hour passes and there’s another delay. They tell us again that we’ll make our connecting flight, and everything will be okay. Finally, we board the plane. It takes off and lands at LAX, where we discover we’ve missed our connecting flight. They promise us they’ll put us on another one.

My dad is texting, worried about the global outage. I reassure him that we’re fine and on the next flight...except that flight gets canceled, too, as does the next one. Around us, people are angry, yelling into their phones, and sleeping on the floor. Others are shouting at the airline staff who can’t do much about the situation.

At this point, I turn to my husband and ask, “What if this were fun?”

From that moment, we strive to make it fun. We start trekking through five terminals until we find the AmEx Lounge. We get playful and interact with people in character, indulge in some childhood comfort food of grilled cheese, and end up laughing and having a great time.

Fifteen hours later, with the global outage continuing, we return home having never reached our destination. However, we chose to make the experience fun when everyone else seemed to be falling apart.

My special guest, Sebastian Conelli, is an incredible actor, comedian, improviser who knows a thing or two about having fun. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn about the power of choosing to have fun and be playful, even in challenging situations. You’ll also discover how to create connections with your audience, the value of being vulnerable and sharing one's inner thoughts and feelings in storytelling, and get answers to questions like:

How can awareness and being present in the moment enhance the impact of a story or performance? What are some specific ways in which Improv can enhance public speaking and personal confidence? And what techniques can you use to ensure that an audience connects with unusual or unexpected behaviors in a story?

What you will learn in this episode:

How your approach to a situation can transform the story of your experience
How Improv helps you stay grounded and make stories more impactful and authentic
How personal challenges and experiences can be transformed into compelling narratives

Who is Sebastian?

Sebastian Conelli is an actor, comedian and improviser from New York. Sebastian has been performing and teaching improv for over 13 years. Sebastian is a part of the legendary improv team The Stepfathers (UCB), the best improv show in NY Raaaatscraps, and is a cast member of the longest-running improv show in NY, Asssssscat (UCB). Sebastian is the host of the successful podcast LOUD ABOUT NOTHING. You also might have seen Sebastian doing small parts on Max, Apple TV, Netflix, and in the 2024 Palme D'or winner Anora.

Links and Resources

At this point, I turn to my husband and ask, “What if this were fun?”

What you will learn in this episode:

How your approach to a situation can transform the story of your experience
How Improv helps you stay grounded and make stories more impactful and authentic
How personal challenges and experiences can be transformed into compelling narratives

Who is Sebastian?

Links and Resources

Previous Episode

How Sharing Raw Stories Can Provide Healing and Hope

I’m working with a new client, Leonard, who is completely new to first-person true storytelling. He has lived through several unbelievable situations, and I know others need to hear his stories.

So I challenge him to tell a story to open his next podcast. He responds: “I can’t do that. My listenership will drop if I do.” When I ask him why, he says, “No one’s going to care about my story.”

Yet, what if only one person needs to hear your story to change their life? After I pose that question to Leonard, he reluctantly agrees and shares one of his craziest stories on his next episode.

The response? Several listeners emailed him saying things like:

“Your story was exactly what I needed to hear today.”

“Your story reminded me of a similar situation I went through.”

“Your story has given me the courage to tell my story.”

We tell our stories in service to others, and it takes bravery to be vulnerable with your story. Leonard did it, as did my guest today, Krishnni Khanna. She has told her real raw story on both the TEDx stage and in her newly released book, simply because she wants to help others.

In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn about the importance of sharing difficult stories as a way to process experiences and help others feel less alone. Krishnni will share her story of ostracization as a young girl who migrated to the U.S., as well as answer questions such as:

What can happen as a result of sharing your vulnerable story? Why are the words you use in your Talk or story so important? And what’s a really powerful way to end a speech or story?

What you will learn in this episode:

Why personal stories serve as powerful hooks for your speech
How to use words and visual descriptions to enhance your stories
How to instill inspiration and motivation in others through your raw stories

Who is Krishnni?

Krishnni Khanna was born in India in 2007 and moved to the United States with her parents in 2017. She’s a high schooler, author, and TEDx speaker who advocates for the inner well-being of youth. In 2022, she created Detoximind (www.detoximind.com), a student-led movement through which Krishnni and her team bring peer-based support to teens and youth grappling with stress, shame, exclusion and isolation. She currently resides in Austin, Texas with her parents and their puppy Yuki.

Krishnni’s first novel I AM NOT WHO YOU SEE launched in June 2024. Many of the protagonist’s experiences in the book are inspired by Krishnni’s highs and lows as a 10-year-old immigrant in America, and how she rebuilt her sense of self and regained her identity in her new surroundings.

Links and Resources

Next Episode

Why Storytelling Belongs in the Classroom and Boardroom

I’m running a high-energy speaker training event, and everyone is buzzing with excitement as we stand in a circle, introducing ourselves. Each attendee shares their role and a fun fact. Among them is a CEO of a tech company who loves bagels, a marketing director obsessed with villas in Rome, and an entrepreneur who just secured his first round of funding.

The introductions continue, one after another, until it’s time for my team to introduce themselves. Our first team member steps forward and says, “Hi, I’m Sandy Zabarsky. I’ve spent the last 27 years in prison and just got out.”

The room falls silent. I can feel the weight of all eyes on me, then shifting to each other, and back to me.

Sandy continues, “I served as an educator and administrator in juvenile halls and juvenile camps. Today, I’m here to help turn your challenges into stories your audience will never forget.”

A collective breath is released from the room. You see, Sandy happens to be my mom. She was an English major and dedicated her career to helping the underdog–particularly disadvantaged youth entangled in the criminal justice system. She assisted these kids in earning their GED, offering them a glimmer of hope and a chance at a different story.

Throughout her career, my mom impacted the lives of thousands of kids. Her unwavering commitment to changing their narrative and giving them a new possibility transformed their futures, making them very different from the ones they had while inside the system.

There are so many like my mom out there, including my special guest Alfonso Paz. He brings to life a different possibility for the people he works with whether they’re students, educators, or business owners. And through his company Vibix Learning, he is transforming education by helping to create healthier, more inclusive school environments.

In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn about the power of storytelling in education, business, and personal growth. Alfonso will share his experience of using storytelling to pitch to investors and the impact its made, discuss the effectiveness of short-form storytelling, and so much more. He’ll also answer questions such as:

How does storytelling help bridge emotional gaps and foster compassion? Why is short-form storytelling particularly effective in high-stakes environments? And why is the struggle such an essential part of the storytelling process?

What you will learn in this episode:

How storytelling creates deeper connections and fosters compassion that spurs action
Why concise stories effectively convey messages to engage audiences
How storytelling can be used to help enhance emotional intelligence

Who is Alfonso?

For close to 30 years, Alfonso Paz has been helping underrepresented students and families in Los Angeles’s East Hollywood area have greater opportunities and access to college and other post-secondary options. He is the co-founder and CEO of Vibix Learning, which transforms education by enhancing emotional well-being through its innovative Collective Care Continuum (C3) model, integrating emotional intelligence and mental wellness support to create healthier, more inclusive school environments.

Alfonso’s experiences have solidified his belief that it does take an entire village to raise a child to be a successful contributing member of society. He believes that while traditional schools can provide a foundation for positive change, the strong partnerships between families, schools, and communities will provide a greater influence on a student's life and prepare them to contribute to a united, stronger, and healthier society.

Through Vibix Learning, he recognized that the greatest effect he could have would be to "re-teach" educators how to listen to the students and staff, recognize everyone’s needs, and define the best way forward for each student and staff member. Once schools and administrators saw his methods' incredible effect on the student's lives–both in and out of the school environment–he became a sought-after coach and advisor.

Links and Resources: