Ever wished you had the courage to
stand up for yourself?
(and live a joy-filled life of resilience...
...in spite of a tough relationship?)
Introducing
Lifestory Laboratory
A proven step-by-step system to leverage your tough experiences and hard-won wisdom to boost your resilience
Here's the thing...
Often, women in tough relationships, or who've escaped tough relationships, are simply plodding through their days, pretending to be happy.
They wish they had the courage to stand up for themselves.
Many times they can’t even picture what life could look like to LIVE JOYFULLY. They’re ashamed or embarrassed of who they’ve become and how far their life has slipped. They’ve given up hope of an amazing life.
I recently asked hundreds of women in a narcissist abuse support group to share one recovery tactic they've tried that did NOT work...
Here's a tiny sample of the difficult stories I got back:
- “I tried to leave the past in the past. But it keeps coming back to haunt me. I can’t seem to find a good relationship now.”
- “I keep trying to figure out, ‘How in the world did I get here?’ I’ve lost myself, who I used to be, my hopes and dreams.”
- “I wish we could go back to the beginning and do things over. I have so many regrets that come up all the time. If I could go back and change things, I would.”
- “I tried positive thinking, but I end up with I’m no good. I don’t have any control over my life. I feel depleted, broken and helpless.”
🚨 Reality Check 🚨: NONE of these strategies work because past stories get stuck in your head and dictate your current story. They hide there until they’re triggered and come back to haunt you.
Those stories control you and how you operate in the world. It’s tough to truly “move on” until you’ve excavated those stories to gain power over them.
Years ago, I unwittingly married a narcissist - a sociopath. After ten soul-crushing years of marriage, he vowed to ruin me, take the house, take the kids. Trash my reputation.
I tried "bucking up" because I could handle it. I tried getting out (4 times!). I tried putting the past behind me. None of that worked.
I was stuck in that codependent cycle of crazy...
...until I discovered naturally what scientists have known for years...
Writing about the hard things in life, digging into the dirt and uncovering the ugly side of life on paper, is incredibly healthy.
Writing caused me to become calmer, my brain released its stressed-out fog, I explored how in the world I ended up in an abusive situation…and I became braver about the next steps I needed to take.
Imagine that by simply WRITING about your tough stories you become more authentic and who you really were meant to be!
Imagine it allowing you to stop feeling foolish for your past mistakes and actually boosting your self esteem and self worth!
That’s why I created...
Lifestory Laboratory
A proven step-by-step system to leverage your tough experiences and hard-won wisdom to boost your resilience
HERE'S WHAT YOU
MIGHT NOT KNOW
Whether you've already moved on and put the past behind you, building a new life for yourself [way to go!], or you're still struggling and wondering, "How in the world did I get here?"...
...writing out your tough life stories, in a specific way, leaves you feeling confident and truly authentic. It's the missing factor in our lives.
Writing your tough stories can:
-
Give you the courage to do what needs to be done
Are you ready to take back control, stop waffling on what to do, and have help figuring this out? Once you start writing down "all the things" you realize it's simpler than you expected to find that courage and move forward with confidence. -
Allow you to emerge resilient and be who you truly are, and who you want to be
Maybe you realize that no one has really fought for you. You're embarrassed or ashamed of who you've become and how far you've let things slip. Don't be! It's completely normal in these tough circumstances. Writing will help you pick up the pieces of who you truly are and wanted to be and rebuild a beautiful, resilient you to be proud of. -
Gain clarity on how you even got into that situation in the first place...and how to recover
Oh yeah, the question you keep asking yourself..."How in the world did I get here?" You're not alone. I asked that too, once I saw the magnitude of the situation I was in. Every single person I know who's written their stories has said that it brought them incredible CLARITY they didn't even realize they needed....including clarity on how to recover. -
Stop feeling foolish for your past mistakes
Go from being embarrassed and powerless amidst the ashes of your relationship to feeling confident and truly authentic. This community of life storytellers will show you that you're far from alone. You're amongst others who were also love bombed, and hooked into an unhealthy relationship. -
Boost your self-esteem and self-worth
This. This is the best benefit of all for writing your life stories. You deserve to become the person you were truly meant to be. Writing your stories is a fabulous way to explore where you've been and where you want to go.
Shhh...I'm going to let you in on a little secret
Conventional wisdom says to ignore the tough things, to just get over it!
Even though most people underestimate the need to EMBRACE their tough stories, there are some who dive right in.
These wise souls gain HUGE insights into themselves and their past, while others who don't embrace their stories continue to struggle internally.
These wise souls find out they're NOT AT FAULT for their past, no matter what they've told themselves. They've found the freedom that telling their life stories brings.
They've ignored the conventional wisdom that says "forget it and just move on."
The little secret...writing can help you heal and become whole again.
It's actually THRILLING to wield control over your past as you control the words that make up your stories.
The key ingredient to all of this is writing your life stories.
And with your permission, that's what I'd love to show you inside of Lifestory Laboratory...
Module 1
Boost Your Brain With the Science of Resilience and Writing
In this module, you’ll discover the beautiful journey you’re about to embark on, understand why digging into the past is one of the best things you can do for yourself, and begin finding your life theme...which may surprise you.
Module Highlights:
- Understand WHY going back helps you move forward - The compelling science behind writing to heal, because virtually no one escapes childhood without some emotional scars.
- Finding your life theme exercise - Writing your life stories is a way to literally take control of your own stories.
- Using tough stories to build strength - Understand the four steps in allowing your tough life stories to build resilience and strength.
- How can you tell your stories if you're not a writer? Discover the process of writing your stories and what the end-game is.
- Why are stories so effective? Our brains are wired for story, here's your chance to think about your life in story
- Discovery: Finding your WHY - for once, "I don't know" is acceptable.
- Health benefits of writing - in case you weren't convinced, here's more evidence.
Module 2
Embrace Your Stories, Part 1
In this module, you’ll get started collecting stories and begin writing the foundational words that you’ll use to build stories. You’ll start discovering the beautiful, messy words that are inside of you.
Module Highlights:
- Mining your past - how to learn from your stories, using your stories to make yourself wiser, learning lessons you haven't put to use yet.
- Easiest way to lay the foundation - Freewriting is the simple way to get a ton of words on paper...and they shouldn't be pretty.
- Discovering your stories - completing your life theme exercise and discovering why you're putting stories on paper.
- Story tracker - Your words should be chaotic now, but tracking your stories will be helpful later on.
- What your reader will feel - what would you like your imaginary reader to feel and do after reading your stories? This provides deep insight into your own motivation.
- Course Guide to keep track of your progress through the course. I just love a good checklist, don't you?
Module 3
Embrace Your Stories, Part 2
In this module you’ll gain experience freewriting, understand what to do when you don’t remember your stories, and continue to build the foundational words your stories will come from.
Module Highlights:
- Digging without a map - your memory isn't perfect and you don't have to worry about every detail or what you don't remember (plus tips on remembering more).
- Origins of our stories - how we operate in the world as adults is affected by what we experienced in childhood and the agreements we made with ourselves at the time.
- Permission granted to feel and to heal - There's a science to writing to heal. You've got to give yourself permission to understand self-care while bringing up tough stories and have a plan when heavy memories arise.
- What to do about worry - Don't worry about the quality of your writing or the quantity, why your writing should be ugly, fierce, and messy right now.
- How to organize your writing life (because if you're like me, your writing is all over the digital place); here's a solution for that.
- Finding time to write - the #1 reasons writers don't write: We're going to conquer this!
Module 4
Enable Your Stories Part 1
In this module we’re going to start shaping your stories with amazing insights. We're taking that raw story and adding details that will make it more attractive. This is where you add in sensory details and emotions.
Module Highlights:
- Digging into the details - Understand how to easily excavate the small details in your stories and discover how to create a great "scene" that makes any story fascinating.
- Writing your emotions - Emotions are perfectly fine while writing, but how do you put that INTO your writing. We've got you covered here.
- Discovering who you were and who you are now - Along the way, you may discover new things about yourself. These discoveries will help you be more compassionate to YOU and play a part in your resilience.
- Story 101 - These are the basic elements of story that we can incorporate into our stories as we write.
- Capturing the details around you - How to become a more observant person and learn how to recognize and capture those details in the moment.
Module 5
Enable Your Stories Part 2
In this module, you’ll learn how to use your stories to make your future self wiser and more resilient by digging out the lessons learned, get through the tough stuff by forgiving yourself and others, as well as build a more detailed and enticing story.
Module Highlights:
- Forgiving yourself and others - Understand how we talk to ourselves and blame ourselves for things that are not our fault. PLUS, forgiving others doesn't mean condoning their actions.
- Learning lessons you didn't want - There is wisdom and diamonds in the coal of our past. Let's find those jewels!
- Show don't tell - This is a wayyyy better method to writing in order to bring the reader into your story rather than simply telling it.
- Dialogue in story - Dialogue makes a story more interesting and complete, but it doesn't have to be exact.
- Truth in memoir - Exactly how truthful do you need to be? Your version of the truth likely differs from others. What should you do about this? PLUS, creative ways to tell truths without hurting others.
Module 6
Enhance Your Stories Part 1
Enhancing your stories is all about crafting the story into a readable, beautiful collection of scenes that read like a novel. It’s making them presentable to the public (if you wish to share; you don’t have to). We’re now starting to pull all the ugly freewrites into a cohesive narrative that makes sense.
Module Highlights:
- Finding your story in your stories - reflecting back on the life theme you initially started with, discovering the underlying story within your stories, and finding out what your true story is revealing.
- Make your story exciting - Many elements play a part in making your story exciting. As you develop ideas, take some of these for a spin.
- Story arc and character arc - Ratchet up the tension (and the excitement) with story arcs. It's not complicated once you have the formula.
- The editing process - Easier than you think! Take three simple passes to simplify the whole editing process and make your writing sound much more professional.
- Deeper editing - The ninja tips you need to dig into developmental editing and revisions.
- Cliché and vocabulary - Using bright, descriptive language in your stories brings out the best in them and makes for exciting reading.
- Plan of action - Which method will you use to tell your tale? Let's review what's available to you.
- Your writing workflow - How you can get into your own workflow, stay organized and produce multiple stories each week.
Module 7
Enhance Your Stories Part 2
Now that you know the basics of editing, what are other ways to enhance your stories to make them into beautiful pieces of art? Here you’ll learn advanced story techniques.
Module Highlights:
- Advanced story concepts - Characters, point of view, plot, setting, and resolution. These will help you think through crafting your story more deeply and effectively.
- Literary devices in storytelling - Want to think in metaphor? Let's break down some literary devices and how they can boost your stories.
- Write, rewrite, and cut - Productive ways to hone your story to razor sharpness and polish it to perfection.
- How's your backstory - Too much background material isn't healthy for a story, but you've got to convey it somehow. Here's the best way to decide what to put in or keep out.
- Characters and characterization - Get your characters into and out of your story using the literary device of characterization.
- Periodic table of life storytelling elements - See the full range of elements that a story can encompass and try out a few.
Module 8
Elevate Your Stories Part 1
Now that you know you can create beautiful stories out of your past, it’s time to start thinking about elevating them. This means to elevate their visibility in the world, elevate them in usefulness and in service to other people by sharing your wisdom.
Module Highlights:
- Why share the pain - Yes, some of your stories are ugly and traumatic. So why should you share them anyway? The answer depends on your humanity.
- Polish your story for publication - Understand what you need to know beyond editing. Polishing it up before submitting to publications.
- Establishing an author platform - Guest presenter Kathryn McClatchy, an author platform coach, social media manager, and creative nonfiction author, shares why you need an author platform and the three most important things you should start with.
- Connecting with your audience as an author - One of the main reasons to share is the connection with others who have similar experiences...and share your wisdom. By now, you've distilled that wisdom. Here's the best way to connect, and help, others if you choose to do so.
Module 9
Elevate Your Stories Part 2
Let’s take that elevation to a new level. It’s time to start crafting publishable snippets and submitting your stories to get them out into the world. Bravo for getting this far!
Module Highlights:
- Art of the personal essay - This is an amazing way to share your wisdom, your philosophy, and parts of your story.
- Multiple ways to share your stories - There are ways to share your stories that you may not have thought of. Let's explore and get excited about things "other than a memoir."
- Earning an income from your stories - Can you really earn money for your stories? Of course! Let's dig into this topic.
- Social media for story writers - Start making changes to your social media to support your writing and position yourself as a writer and author.
- Minimalist stories - Have fun and try your hand at engaging your stories to distill some of them into the smallest effective fraction.
Module 10
Graduation and Extra Perks
You made it! I’m so proud of you! The adventure of capturing your life stories is life-changing. This isn’t the end, though. Let’s talk about next steps.
Module Highlights:
- What's next? There is definitely life beyond this course. Discover your next steps here.
- Navigate the world of publishing is confusing. Guest presenters, and publishers, Elaine and Charles Sanger lay out the options for authors to wisely choose self-publishing or traditional publishing.
- Elaine and Charles will also help you develop and manage your book project and create a realistic plan to guide you to the final goal of seeing your book in print.
- Celebrate your wins - No matter how many stories you've written, you have some amazing wins. Let's honor them!
BONUS Vault
Best Kept Writing Secrets
We keep your bonus goodies in this vault...including some things that we've never revealed before. Including:
- Birth stories
- Family heritage stories
- ...and more!
Here’s what you’re getting when you enroll today:
Lifestory Laboratory - $1,997 Value
- The Art of Remembering to Forget: Why Write a Story You Never Want to Publish mini course - $47 Value
- Ultimate List of Life Storytelling Resources That You Can't Live Without - $300 Value
When you add it all up, that’s a value of $2,344
But when you enroll today, you’ll get access to everything for just:
Pay Monthly
3 Monthly Payments of
$367
OR
Pay Upfront
1 Single Payment of
$997
The Lifestory Laboratory "Life is Good" Guarantee
I am confident that writing out your tough life stories with Lifestory Laboratory can change your life for the better.
Therefore, I stand behind Lifestory Laboratory with a 30-day money back guarantee.
However, you must be willing to put in the work required to see results.
In the 30 days from when you purchase the course, dive into the materials and give it your best shot.
Dig into the bonus life storytelling resources.
Ask questions as they come up. Be open to the experience. Invest your time in the course as you have invested your money.
If in 30 days you have truly made your best effort in getting the most out of Lifestory Laboratory and find that you are not getting benefit from this course, contact me for a refund. Be prepared to show proof of your work in the course. No time-wasters, please.
"This made me stronger and wiser. Each lesson is packed with crucial information! Thankfully, I am now armed with new insight. I have decided to continue healing. This information and the lessons I've learned will help me on my healing journey. Thank you!"
Sandy J.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions our top students ask
before enrolling in Lifestory Laboratory
I understand your fear. I had the same fear, but this isn't necessarily for publication - it's for your own healing. I'll teach you how to write well (and in an exciting, messy way), and how to edit....or you can get an editor if you intend to publish at a later date. It's your choice!
Remember that everyone in our Slack community is there for a similar reason: they all have lived through and are now trying to process tough stuff in their lives. Many have likely been in your shoes. They are conquering their personal, painful stories, too! This community provides a safe space for you to share your story and give you compassionate and helpful feedback. With that being said, you do not have to share your stories at all to benefit from this course. This course (and the Slack community) will help you with the mechanics, the emotions, the psychology, and the essentials to keep you moving forward whether you choose to share your stories inside or not.
Absolutely not. It is essential to take a thoughtful look at even the most painful parts of life in order to learn about ourselves and to process the pain so we can let it go.
That's why I include the scientific studies behind it...so you understand exactly why this is beneficial!
You can. But writing your stories will add a new dimension to your processing of what has happened to you, and your understanding of yourself. Don’t you want to give yourself the best chance of regaining your sense of self and your confidence?
Good question. Everyone gets stuck sometime. :) Not to worry! The Slack community will be a great sounding board for you to bounce ideas off of, and you can always contact us inside of Slack with course-related questions. This community is created to keep you moving forward, so be sure to let us know when you get stuck.
As soon as you purchase, you get immediate access to the first module. Which is great because it is front-loaded with all kinds of goodies, like the science behind writing tough stories, resources, course guide, your first exercise, and more!
After that, we will all begin Module 2 together as a cohort to keep folks in a semi-cohesive group. Each Monday a new module will be released.
If you're not done with the previous week, no worries. We have built-in catch-up weeks, pause a week for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and pick back up. We anticipate being done by the end of January.
I know this is an amazing step for you. This is why I have the Lifestory Laboratory “Life Is Good” Guarantee. I believe this program can be transformative if you commit to giving it your time and attention. If you do this and, after 30 days, you have truly made your best effort in getting the most out of Lifestory Laboratory and find that you are not getting benefit from this course, contact me for a refund.
You bet! Here’s what you’re getting when you enroll today:
This will depend on how deep you'd like to go with your writing. You'll find some great insights into yourself and your past within the first couple of weeks. Beyond that, the more you write, the more you'll heal.
First, you always have the "Life is Good" guarantee. Second, writing helps everyone. You'll find so much more clarity in writing about your past, or even your present! If you put in the work, you're going to get results.
Most other programs are writing courses that focus on simply the writing. This program is a comprehensive life storytelling program + amazing, supportive community of people who are becoming more resilient each week. We focus not only on the writing, but on healing, resilience, and building a joy-filled life. We learn and understand the science behind resilience and writing, so we know WHY writing helps - even if you're not a good writer and even if you never show your writing to anyone.
I get it. Sometimes when these things open up, timing isn't perfect. That's OK! You have permanent access to the course. You can start, stop, and start again any time you want. It's really go-at-your-own pace, but with a community of encouragers to cheer you on. We'll always be in the Slack group at whatever point you hop in.
This program is a good fit for people who've been in some tough circumstances. It's particularly excellent for women who've been in toxic relationships in the past, or are currently in one. If you've ever wished you were emotionally stronger, braver, and so much more able to be authentically you and genuinely happy....this is the course for you! If you don't even believe you can be genuinely happy...this is the course for you!
"I have answers. I have hope. I have solutions to keep on healing. Stacy, you are such a loving, caring person to put this together. The information is priceless! You are helping me to heal. My gut has turned from fear to courage. I stand up straighter. This has empowered me beyond my expectations."
Beverly B.
Lifestory Laboratory is PERFECT for you if…
- You’ve been through a tough relationship or other tough spots in your life and are looking for next steps
- You’ve tried some other methods and are ready to try writing instead (or in addition)
- You’re longing for a way to debrief your traumatic stories without overburdening your family or friends
- You’ve invested time with a therapist talking things over, but you still want more
- You’re fearful of telling your story out loud, but you know you need to get the thoughts and memories out of your head somehow
- You’re excited to start the next chapter of your life, with a renewed confidence in yourself and a new awareness of what your challenges have taught you.
- You’re ready to roll up your sleeves and examine your tough relationship to mine the lessons out of the ashes
If you said “yes” to at least 1 of the above, I can’t wait to meet you inside Lifestory Laboratory!
Here’s what you’re getting when you enroll today:
Lifestory Laboratory - $1,997 Value
- The Art of Remembering to Forget: Why Write a Story You Never Want to Publish mini course - $47 Value
- Ultimate List of Life Storytelling Resources That You Can't Live Without - $300 Value
When you add it all up, that’s a value of $2,344
But when you enroll today, you’ll get access to everything for just:
Payment Monthly
3 Monthly Payments of
$367
OR
Payment Upfront
1 Single Monthly Payment of
$997
