One of the most unifying aspects of our culture, and all cultures for that matter, is storytelling.
 
Stories – whether they’re in books, films, comics, music, on the stage or even in games – have an intangible power to affect us and connect with us with each other. They can entertain us and allow us to escape our daily grind; they can teach us and make us think critically about our world; and they can move us and inspire us to action.
 
There are in fact a great many ways that storytelling can inspire us. Many of the greatest people from history were inspired by stories they heard or read in their youth. Alexander the Great, for example, was motivated by the storytelling expertise of none other than Aristotle himself. Read on to discover how the art of storytelling has inspired so many people and how it can change your life, too.
 

Stories Make Us Feel

Firstly, what is the purpose of a story? Much of that answer depends heavily on both the people experiencing the story and the needs of the story itself. There is no way to say what is the best way to create a story since each one has a different goal with its own needs.
 
However, in a greater sense, the purpose of a story is to share information and ideas in a way that connects with people. In fact, that emotional connection is critical to a story’s success. There are so many ways a story can connect with people; they can be thrilling, exciting, tense, touching, dramatic, depressing, horrific, and so much more.
 
Those feelings can allow others to experience and feel things that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. They can show what a far-off or fictional culture or world is like. They can make you feel the excitement or the terror of a dangerous situation, like an epic adventure or a battle. They can even simply create an alluring atmosphere that sticks with you.
 
Stories can create pleasant memories or boost your mood. They can help make you more well-rounded as a person or even inspire you to pursue things you wouldn’t otherwise consider. Stories have the ability to make society happier and connect us in a way that few other things can achieve.
 

They Can Make Us Think

Once a story has connected to our hearts, its influence can then bleed into our minds. Stories not only have the power to make us feel, but also to think. In fact, some of the greatest stories ever written are the ones that ask us the toughest questions about our world. Storytelling has been used this way for centuries, whether it be to pass down history, teach morality, or to explain things about the world that are hard to understand.
 
Cognitive scientist, linguist and author, Mark Turner once said: “Narrative imagining — story — is the fundamental instrument of thought. Rational capacities depend upon it. It is our chief means of looking into the future, or predicting, of planning, and of explaining.”
 
Despite how a lot of entertainment can be seen as mindless, those same mediums can be great tools for people to share and process the various different and often abstract parts of our world. From straight information and facts to the wild and weird ideas of what it could be.
 
Stories can show us the dark side of our world as well as things that confuse us. They can even create scenarios that force us out of our comfort zones and rearrange preconceived notions.
 
They can inspire people to change their approach to life or to pursue a different path. In truth, most – if not all – of our values come from the stories we heard as children.
 

They Can Make Us See

After a story has touched both your heart and mind, you’ll be able to identify the influence it has had on you for the rest of your life. Behind every story there is a person who has poured their thoughts and feelings into it. Stories not only have the power to make us feel and think, but they are one of the greatest avenues a person can express themselves.
 
Stories often allow people to deepen their connection to the things they are passionate about as the eccentricities of the storyteller empower them to be themselves.