Blog entries

Story Harvesting

Lisa Rossetti — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:20:29 +0100

What a rich word "harvesting" is! In itself a metaphor for richness, for yielding abundance, and of the notion of "in due season". Harvesting is both seasonal and opportune, not to be put off, and it is hard work! Team work, in fact.

So why Story Harvesting? Recently I ran a workshop for a Gurteen Knowledge Cafe and gave a presentation at an Adult Community Learning conference on Storytelling in Organisations. A question which I am always asked is "Where do you find your stories?".

...

A Beginning, A Muddle and An End

Lisa Rossetti — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:40:58 +0100

When did you last listen to a Story?

I ask this of adults who come to my workshops, Story Cafes and training sessions. Many adults cannot remember listening to a story - told in the traditional oral way, storyteller to storylistener - although they will say "I read a book" or "I saw a film".

Yet, if they pause and recollect, they can bring to mind stories that were told to them 10, 20, 30 years ago. Such is the power of story to impart learning, values and knowledge.

...

Under the Spell

Lisa Rossetti — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:01:02 +0100

I've come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. Tony Robbins

All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is to act as if it were impossible to fail. Dorothea Brande

Frustration – we’ve all felt it. When nothing goes right, when every plan fails. When do I get my Lucky Break? When can I stop banging my head on th...

Spiderman's Tears

Lisa Rossetti — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:42:31 +0100

Last Saturday was exceptionally hot. On my way home from town, I saw a little blond haired boy being dragged up the hill by his long-suffering mother. He was red-faced and bawling. And dressed from head to foot in a Spiderman outfit.

“Why can’t you just stop crying?” sighed his mother.

Of course, I am always thinking of the Back Story. Did our little hero wake up early, eager to save the world, confident in his magic powers? Did he get taken to a kiddies&...

The Metaphor of Me

Lisa Rossetti — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:11:55 +0100

The Metaphor of Me

"Learning to read the language of symbols has a positive effect on your self-image and energy." Caroline Myss

I’ve just been reading a book on Mindfulness. One sentence really struck me.

“Who is the creator of all your self images?”

This got me thinking like this ... If I am the creator of my self-image, then perhaps I am “authoring” myself, writing my own life story with myself as heroine, villain, warrior, or...

The Architecture of Story

Lisa Rossetti — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:34:13 +0100

Why Our Brains Are Hard-wired for Story

“By the grace of their limbic brains, mammals find such exultant metaphor irresistible.” A General Theory of Love.

Once upon a time, you loved to listen to stories. Remember settling down with your mum or dad, or favourite relative, or maybe sitting in the story-corner at primary school ? The hush descending in the room. That wonderful exhilarating feeling of your imagination being fired.

As adults, we still respo...

Who did you meet last week?

Lisa Rossetti — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:02:29 +0100

I’ve been keeping unusual company – unusual but somehow strangely familiar. It all started with a trip to London last week, meeting up with my colleagues from my diploma course in Coaching Supervision. This was our final training workshop, so goodbyes were said, with good wishes and cards exchanged. I was really touched to be given a wonderful book as a farewell gift - “Who Am I?” by Katie Altham.

That evening, whilst the underground rumbled be...

Up Front & Personal

Lisa Rossetti — Mon, 30 May 2011 20:54:50 +0100

I really do have some fabulously rewarding work – coaching our leaders of tomorrow in Social Care.

Last time I met up with my young clients, they all asked the same questions. How do I write my Personal Statement? What do I say in Interview?

I recently signed up for an exciting we...

Ten Women Meet a Tiger

Lisa Rossetti — Sun, 29 May 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The Tale of the Shaman, the Woman & the Tiger was one of the rich and inspiring tales told in The Story Cafe in May. A Story of Hope & Courage.

If you were at The Story Cafe in May, share your insights from this traditional Story here.

Meet your Cafe friends at The Story Cafe Facebook.

See you on 26 June for more transformational tales!

Meeting the Tiger

Lisa Rossetti — Sun, 29 May 2011 05:00:00 +0100

On Sunday 15 June, ten women met a tiger in Chester. A tiger and a shaman – and a courageous woman. Had the Circus come to town? Or maybe an animal had escaped from Chester Zoo? You’d be forgiven if you thought so. In fact, 15 June was the launch of The Story Café. The Tale of the Tiger, the Woman and the Shaman was one of the rich traditional stories told in the Café that afternoon.

The Story Café has been a dream of mine for many years – a way...

The Power of Stories™ for Small to Medium Organisations

Lisa Rossetti — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0100

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Not Just For Kids

Lisa Rossetti — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0100

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The Seven Secrets of Organisational Health

Lisa Rossetti — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Hands Across the Ocean

Lisa Rossetti — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:00:00 +0100

I am feeling very inspired by Connection. And am having a "Hands Across the Ocean" moment - as we put the finishing preparations in place for "Walking the Stories". http://positivelives.co.uk/iwd

Did you know that women across the world, from USA to UK, from Asia to Africa, are talking about our little celebration of International Women's Day in Chester?

Brigitte is my lovely contact in Ghana, and the inspiration for Walking the Stories. She wrote to her fellow alumni of the ...

Will You Walk With Us?

Lisa Rossetti — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:00:00 +0100

The Women's Code - Green Violet White

Lisa Rossetti — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:00:00 +0100

With International Women's Day nearly here (officially 8 March), I've been carrying out a Straw Poll.

Who knows the Code? Can you decipher the colour code of Green Violet White?

Here's a clue - Suffragettes wore banners in green, violet and white.

I am amazed that nobody I have asked knows how to decipher the Code.

Green = Give; Violet = Votes; White = Women.

So deciphered: Give Votes to Women

What else do you know about International Women's Day? Do you ...

It's the Perfect Time ...

Lisa Rossetti — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 06:00:00 +0100

Power of Stories comes to Chester!

Lisa Rossetti — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Delighted to receive such excellent feedback from attendees of the Getting British Business Online networking event in Chester, hosted by Positive Lives.

Thanks also to Luan Ramsay, Conference Manager at Regus, Chester. Great continental breakfast, Luan. Loved those little pots of fruit!

And a big thanks to Isabelle Farquhar from Singulier Ltd for her presentation on using online tools to enhance your business - as well as her invitation for private businesses to tap into the new ...

Cheap packaging for handmade chocolates

Lisa Rossetti — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:00:00 +0100

I met Amy Fox of TwizzleBird at the Big Business Breakfast Event (part of Global Entrepreneurship Week) that I hosted.

She sent me a great piece of feedback on my Power of Stories presentation:

"I was inspired by your talk on the power of storytelling and soft skills being the new hard skills."

Amy writes in her Blog (www.twizzlebird.co.uk)

"Design (like art) talks to our senses, to our emotions and using it well in your business...

A Riddle

Lisa Rossetti — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 06:00:00 +0100

So, there I was buying stamps in my local post office from a red-haired assistant. Got out my credit card.
There's always that moment, isn't there ... hold your breath, wait, wait ... and Yay! Transaction goes through.
So then this Riddle pop into my mind. So I ask the red-haired girl, isn't that just like Life?
What's that?
Well ....
Question: When is a credit card transaction just like an Affirmation?
Answer: When you wake up in the morning an...