“Power of Story”

All month long, I will explore “the power of story.” Increasingly, “story” is used as a buzzword to brand projects or people as unique, inclusive, or person-centered. I, too, am guilty of leaning on the phrase “the power of story.” But a story isn’t powerful because we declare it so. It is powerful because of what it reveals about individuality, relationships, and meaning-making as it evolves through time.

Stories carry weight.

As a qualitative researcher, I view stories not as fixed ‘facts,’ but as living, breathing expressions of experience. They allow individuals to determine what matters most, to highlight the turning points and details that shaped them, and to communicate their identity on their own terms. Each story is unique and holds significant value in our research.

In qualitative research, we sometimes describe the role of the researcher as ‘the instrument’ or ‘a participant.’ These phrases remind us that researchers are not separate from the process—we shape it with our presence, responses, and interpretations. Sharing stories, whether ours or those entrusted to us, comes with a great responsibility. Listening deeply means recognizing that stories shift depending on time, place, and perspective. A story told today may not be the same story told next year. That’s why stories matter—not because they’re trendy, but because they hold the essence of being human.

I often remind participants: you are the expert of your life. I can’t know their experiences—only they can. My role is not to judge or direct, but to actively listen and facilitate the narrative process. Active listening is a full-body experience. It requires observing mannerisms, picking up on the cadence of sentences, and responding in ways that honor what has been shared. How can we, as researchers, create space for people to express themselves on their own terms while ensuring that the narrative remains true to their experience rather than our interpretation?

Stories hold impermanence.

As someone who studies human development and life course, I think of a story or narrative as something bound in time. We tell stories about our past, share who we are in the present, imagine who we might become, and hope to be remembered.

Our ways of knowing ourselves and others are an intricately interwoven tapestry between our own truths and the truths of others, and this way of knowing changes over time. In addition, we are constantly connecting throughout our lives, reorganizing our thoughts and meanings, and then reconnecting once again. For example, if you ask someone about “the meaning of a long life,” responses will vary across generations. A young parent, anxious about the future, might answer cautiously. Having weathered decades of change, an older adult may reflect with tenderness on memories of love and resilience. Each story is context-dependent, shaped by time, perspective, and lived experience.

In qualitative research, this impermanence isn’t a weakness—it’s a strength. How have your own memories shifted over time? How does that shape the way you understand your life?

Stories bear witness.

Narrative research, a key methodology in qualitative research, isn’t just about individual stories—it’s also about connecting through shared experience. Narrative research is rigorous because it requires careful attention to context, nuance, and meaning-making—it’s not just recording what is said, it is understanding why it matters and how it connects to the bigger picture. When we listen collectively, we start to notice patterns, shared values, and connections across diverse experiences.

Engaging communities in collective storytelling allows space for sharing vulnerable experiences that might be overlooked. Fostering empowerment through storytelling is not just a concept; it’s a method rooted in social justice that we can all contribute to and benefit from. When personal narratives are emphasized, individuals and communities can claim their narratives, influence decision-making, and shape programs, policies, and initiatives that affect them. How might your community’s story shift if everyone had the chance to tell it in their own words?

Stories are more than a buzzword.

Although “story” has become a popular word in recent years, sometimes to the point of cliché, let’s not forget that stories empower people to decide what’s important, to define their identity, and to make sense of their lives in ways that go beyond data points or statistics.

In qualitative research, that’s the heart of what we’re after—not objectivity or generalizability, but meaning, uniqueness, and connection.

Stories matter because they hold the essence of what it means to be human.

Stories Weave Connection.

Whether seeking to understand community voices, explore identity across the life course, or center personal experience in your work, creative participatory techniques can open doors that numbers alone cannot.

Let’s Connect—I’d be glad to explore how we can use story to bring depth, meaning, and humanity into your next project.