If you've been following me for a while, you know that stories are not solely for entertainment, but for, more importantly, sending a message.

I was reminded of this as I breezed through my beach read last week, an enjoyable story of Circe, greek goddess and daughter of Helio. As I reflected on the core message of the book, I felt perhaps the most compelling was that "true happiness does not come from power".

This got me intrigued by the theme of power and my relation to it - after all, this is what stories do: prompt reflection and can even lead to more exploration. And right now our country is dealing with some serious power dynamics, so I started listening to the 48 Laws of Power. In it, Robert Greene uses stories throughout history and ancient lore to demonstrate the laws.

His other book, Laws of Human Nature, is one of my favorites, but this one left much to be desired. "Do outlandish things for attention, conceal your true intentions & use selective honesty, take credit for work you didn't do, keep people dependent on you"... to me this reads like a book for the most miserable life possible. Each chapter made me angrier and angrier, and just two hours into this 20 hour audiobook, I was ready to parachute off the plane to my own private island and never see another human again.

But in all seriousness, all these stories got me reflecting - is it possible to thrive and live authentically in a power hungry world? What does that look like? Has my naivety led me so far astray in life? How could I channel this anger into something beneficial? The answers to my questions are currently inconclusive.

I share this personal experience to prove a point: Inside every good story is a lesson - or often multiple lessons. Not everyone may recognize this on a conscious level, but the story takeaway is working its way into your subconscious the further immersed you become.

I know when I'm stuck, it feels amazing when someone offers up an inspiring perspective or alternative way of seeing the world. It's way too easy to get caught in a belief loop and let that belief take over your life. Can you think of a story you heard recently that really hit home with you? How did that feel?

To create to the best possible story for the core of your experience, you may want to ask yourself: "What lesson do my guests need to learn?" And work your story development process out from there.

• What stories does someone disenchanted with the world need to restore a sense of optimism? (Asking for a friend)
• What stories does someone feeling lonely need to help them feel reconnected to society?
• What stories does someone feeling like a failure need to realize they are more capable than they realize?
• What stories does someone who cares too much about what others think need to support them in letting their freak flag fly?
• What stories does someone who is playing small needs to help them take that leap of faith?

I could spend all day listing examples... there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of lessons your story could teach guests. Connection, hope, authenticity, power, trust... these are just a handful of the dynamic emotions and themes that we all encounter on a daily basis.

So if these themes are a part of everyday life, why do so many in our industry ignore them? Why are so few hosts creating experiences for guests to explore these concepts on a deeper level? Why do so many shy away from creating layers of meaning throughout the guest journey?

When I traveled to Greece a few years ago, I was eager to be immersed into the stories of the ancient gods - but these stories were few and far between, rarely shared or discussed outside of museums. Instead, I'm reading about them in books or watching them on television (highly recommend KAOS) 5,000 miles away.

Doesn't that seem wrong? Shouldn't the stories be stronger and more powerful the closer you get to the destination?

As the writers from Pixar share, "Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it."

Without compelling, emotionally salient messages, guests will be left with a fun or possibly relaxing time. But these sorts of experiences are a dime a dozen - It's time to get a bit bolder and take guests on a real adventure.

Scared of making a statement? This is the beauty of it all! Story actually makes it easier to address emotional or complex topics because the message can be subtly hidden amongst more enjoyable and pleasurable ideas, instead of just coming out and saying something.

I know you have something powerful to say - are you ready to share it with the world??

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