Interpreting Your Life Story

Artwork by Carly Belzberg

Writing down our life stories gives us an opportunity to look back and see what has shaped us. The act of writing brings together and gives weight to a wide range of experiences, feelings and responses to the events of our lives. We see more clearly the key events and how our reactions to them altered the direction of our journey.

We can also choose how we want to interpret our past, the feelings we want to hold onto and what we see as most meaningful. Dan McAdams, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, defines this ability as “narrative choice”, and emphasizes that the kind of story we tell ourselves about our lives can either be empowering or detrimental. We cannot erase aspects of our past but we can choose what to highlight. We might even see our lives with renewed curiosity and compassion, giving us new perspectives and understanding of our past experiences. 

According to Lisa Dale Norton, author and memoir editor, creating life stories “...is an act of ordering the chaos of the past, assigning meaning through the narrative process, and simultaneously creating a truth that can carry you into your future.” Guided Autobiography is a writing process that helps people to do this by engaging with, organizing and acknowledging various aspects of their histories. Through writing short, theme-based stories, participants can take ownership of their stories, reaffirm their values and choose a supportive personal narrative.