The importance of storytelling

“Story, as it turns out, was crucial to our evolution -- more so than opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs let us hang on; a story told us what to hang on to.” - Lisa Cron

"Those who tell the stories rule the world.” ―?Hopi American Indian proverb

Just JAN's Unfiltered Thoughts

Stories have an incredible power to connect us all.

Storytelling is the oldest form of communication. From hand gestures to hieroglyphics to books to Virtual Reality, human beings consume stories in all forms. They are how we pass down traditions and information from one generation to another.

Storytelling helps us to:

• cooperate and be fair to each other
• behave in social situations
• help us learn and grow as an individual and as a society

Everyone has a story to tell, so I would like to share mine with an open heart and mind. I hope it resonates with everyone in some way. My story is about how a tragedy and a shattered dream turned into a life's journey filled with resilience, redemption, and success.

For as long as I can remember, I've had a deep love for the Ocean. I mean, I was that kid with a bunch of fish tanks in my room and a collection of seashells. Yeah, I admit it; I probably sounded like a bit of a nerd. At eleven, I was already dreaming about becoming the next Jacques Cousteau. But that dream was shattered when my dad died a week after my 12th birthday.

By the time I finished high school, my mom became too ill to work, so instead of attending a university that offered the courses I needed, I found myself having to work to support both of us. I found a job working in the warehouse of a magazine distributor. It wasn't an easy job, and it was made more challenging considering the fact that I had to continue my education by going to college at night and earning my undergraduate degree in Business Management and my Master's in Computer Methodology.

To make a long story short, after learning about the magazine distribution business, I saw an opportunity to start a company that I knew would fill a void in this growing industry. ?

It is interesting how important timing is in life. I hit the jackpot when I started TOTAL CIRCULATION SERVICES since it was the beginning of the "Golden Age" of magazine publishing. As the business grew, and because my marketplace was NYC with its ethnic diversity, I had the amazing opportunity of traveling the world looking for and importing the best magazines each country had to offer.

What happened to my dreams of the Ocean, you ask? It never left me, so I became a scuba diver, and everywhere I traveled, I tried to find a place to dive. I also became a serious aquarist, joining groups dedicated to saving the Ocean's reefs in the face of global warming by trying to grow corals in warmer waters at home. Today, members of these groups are repopulating reefs around the world. https://www.coralrestoration.org/

So, how did I wind up being a Print & Digital Strategist? When I mentioned timing, it goes both ways. It's great to be ahead of the curve and miserable to be behind it.

I was so intent on keeping my magazine company afloat that, just like Blockbuster, Kodak, and other companies. I was late in seeing how the world was changing. It was hard to imagine the Internet's effect on the magazine publishing industry. After years of unbridled growth, the sales decline started as a snowball rolling downhill and then became an avalanche that decimated publishers, advertisers, printers, retailers, and everyone else, including distributors. ?

So, I lost something I spent more than half my life nurturing.

It was easy for me to give up and lay on the couch, blaming myself for not seeing this. And I did exactly that for a little over a year. I wallowed in self-pity and was so angry at myself that I couldn't look in the mirror.

But then something miraculous happened. A friend's daughter asked me to help her write and distribute her poetry book. She was hoping to use it on her college application. I couldn't say no, so I did, and when she was accepted to the University of Georgia as an English Major (with an emphasis on Poetics), it ignited a new passion within me.

I found that using my knowledge and experience to help all content creators looking to improve our world get their messages delivered in all formats and on all the available platforms not only provided me with a sense of purpose and satisfaction but also connected me with the past.

I've learned that being vulnerable and authentic helps people relate to you and opens up a pathway to creating relationships that can lead to wonderful things.

Now that I have shared my story, I would love to hear how you overcame your adversity, and let us share your story to help others understand that failure only happens when you stop trying.

Tips, Tools, Hacks, and Apps – All About Stories

Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1770-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690 and the present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress.

Tapnet empowers you to make informed decisions that help drive your book sales by offering free book products, services, and reviews. They multiply your audience by curating authors by categories, so your one book is viewed by every author's community.

The Hemingway App is an editor that?highlights and corrects grammar, fluency, and sentence structure to help your content read and look better. It will tell you everything you need to know about your writing.

Success Stories

We believe in the power of sharing stories that inspire and drive change, showcasing how creativity, technology, and vision converge to redefine the possibilities of print and digital experiences. Join us as we celebrate the remarkable journeys of those who have redefined the landscape of entertainment, and education, and transformed traditional mediums into captivating new narratives, and harnessed cutting-edge solutions to propel their works to reach more people. ?

Christie Cox

Christie Cox was always bendy and sometimes witty. It wasn’t until she was properly diagnosed with a rare disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome(EDS) at 48 years old that she understood her quirkiness.

Following decades of unrecognizable and untreatable health issues, since learning of her condition, she has gone from being disbelieved to determined. Ms. Cox now devotes her focus, energy, and passion to supporting others facing a similar fate as an advisor, author, and advocate for EDS patients.

She has advocated before Congress, speaks to community forums, and self-published a book through Digital Content Creators. Her only book Holding It All Together When You’re Hypermobile went to #1 on Amazon’s best seller in 24 hours. She has given away more than 1,000 copies and sold over 1,100 copies on Amazon alone. This is not due to her expertise in writing books, but due to the power of telling her story to so many others in the EDS community searching for answers. Her book is a common sense approach to dealing and healing with life-altering chronic illness. She remains grateful for Jan’s ongoing support in helping make her dream of publishing a book a reality. She hopes it helps other chronic illness sufferers along their journey to wellness.

Meet the Team

Kristine Lara

Meet Kristine Lara, our diligent and dynamic team member hailing from the tropical wonders of the Philippines. As a dedicated project manager and executive assistant to the CEO, Kristine brings her Operations Management expertise to every aspect of our global operations. Kristine is our go-to person for all things tech and innovation.

When she's not busy making things happen at work, Kristine loves spending time in nature, soaking up the sun on the beach, and exploring the breathtaking mountains. She's always accompanied by her two adorable dogs: Xavier, the lively golden retriever, and Astro, the playful ShiPoo. Together, they have the best adventures under the warm tropical sky. She's an avid reader of personal development books, constantly seeking new ways to grow and learn. Embracing her Gen Z spirit, she's also a music enthusiast and enjoys staying connected through social media. Every Christmas, she initiates community outreach initiatives to help orphanages with her friends.

Kristine is also a big fan of Filipino food, especially the crispy lumpia and the tasty Chicken Adobo, which reflect the flavors of her home country. You can try making these delicious dishes too with these simple recipes: Lumpia Recipe and Chicken Adobo Recipe.

What's Next?

In the next edition of Pages & Pixels, we're setting our sights on the pervasive influence of social media. As we edge closer to the 2024 presidential election, it's vital to acknowledge both the power of social media to unite us and the potential for AI-generated misinformation to divide. Our upcoming newsletter will unveil the complexities behind the algorithms that drive social media. We will offer a clear-eyed view of how to engage with these platforms responsibly. With the impact of social media and the importance of the truth, we'll equip you with the knowledge to discern fact from fiction online. Look forward to an edition that aims to enhance your digital literacy at a time when it's needed most. ?

Best wishes,

Jan & DCC team

Until Next Time- I wish you HAPPY TRAILS!

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