Storytelling is an ancient artform. It predates literacy and technology. It is fundamental to being human. In the modern age of AI, crumbling systems, and content-on-demand, reclaiming it as medicine might just be the most important thing we can do for ourselves and our communities.

The darkness is made darker by our fear of it. When we stop fighting our own shadows — grief, anger, fear — we find they are not enemies but teachers, revealing where transformation is waiting.

Between your vision and our reality sits a critical step most pioneers miss: YOU go first. Your story isn't just what you say or even the experiences you might create—it's how you show up and walk the path before asking others to follow.

The path to any real dream is never clean or linear. It’s tangled, thorny, and unpredictable. But an imperfect path is still a path. When you meet the mess, don’t fight it. Get curious, get creative, and take heart. The chaos itself is your initiation, and the joy you find within it the medicine you’re looking for.

After 30 years of chasing my ‘purpose,’ I let it go. I stopped believing a meaningful life depended on finding purpose and embraced the idea of ‘joy and medicine’ instead. Joy is alive, playful, adaptable where purpose is brittle. This kind of joy can flow into medicine, and medicine is what you are here to give back to the world.

Shadow stories show up when we least expect them, holding us back just as we’re ready to grow. But they aren’t obstacles. They’re dragons guarding hidden treasure. When we sit with them long enough to uncover the gift they conceal, we can reclaim our gold and move forward with courage.

When I first stepped into an improv class more than 15 years ago, I thought I was simply learning how to play on stage. What I learned was that improv isn’t just about comedy or performance. It’s about listening deeply, saying yes to what’s in front of you, and daring to step into the unknown. Along the way, you discover who you are and who you’re becoming.

Getting lost is crucial to finding your way. The Groan Zone is where you’ll discover what you don’t want, where your medicine lies, and the gateway to what’s next.

I’ve been working with the first Story Shaman clients over recent weeks — both individuals and organisations alike — facing old stories and unlocking the pathways to new ones. And I’ve realised that when I use the word story, I mean it quite differently from how you might commonly hear it used. Explaining that seems a great place to start…. Welcome to Wisdom + Biscuits!