How to Write Isomorphic Metaphor Stories
to Transform YOUR Life

You don't need to know how to write to come up with a story that solves a problem, effects change or personal transformation. Don't worry right now if you feel you can't write or have hang-ups about putting pen to pager. Trust in the process, and be guided by yourself and your intuition. Follow 6-steps guide below and will be surprised at what you can achieve.

Life does not always go the way we would like and we all have problems. Solutions are closer than you think. You already have the answer somwhere, but you are so caught up in the problem that you cannot see a way forward.

'You can't see the wood for the trees,' as they say.

Writing is a great way to remove obstacles in your path. You are looking for happiness are you not?

The benefits of writing down your thoughts are well documented. You may already record your dreams in your dream journal or simply empty your mind when you are unable to sleep.

To read more about how and why isomorphic metaphor stories work

You may be telling yourself that you don't know how to write a story. I know...I said the same thing. Your stories are not necessarily for anyone else to see. Mine certainly weren't at the time.

I wrote several metaphor stories during my personal development journey in pursuit of happiness- for myself and for colleagues and friends. the

Capture YOUR thinking in writing, it is a powerful process Be true and honest with yourself. Thoughts pass through our minds too quickly and we filter them and select those we wish to own up to.

Writing your thoughts down really harnesses your thinking process and allows you to understand the problem. You gain new insight and persepctive on your own and others' perceptions. You will likely highlight your limiting beliefs around the difficulties you may be facing in your life right now.

What are Isomorphic Metaphor Stories?

Therapeutic Metaphors are specially designed stories which are a simple yet ideal tool for personal development, personal growth, healing and change. People see themselves in the stories they hear and become part of the story.

So the real power of Therapeutic Metaphor is designing an elegant story to affect deep and lasting change.

Milton Erickson, a Psychiatrist and fellow of the American Psychological Association, is noted for his approach to the unconscious mind as being both creative and solution-generating. He discovered when he told stories, he totally bypassed conscious resistance. He was able to make changes in relatively few sessions and thereby coined the term Brief Therapy.

Richard Bandler and John Grinder, founders of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) studied Erickson's work because he was so successful at making profound changes in people's lives. They un-picked the structure in his methods and his stories and how to write them. Another of their simple yet truly amazing solutions is anger management with NLP.

The stories I wrote for my own personal development on my journey to find happiness are quite lengthy. They need not be. You choose how much detail you wish to add. I tend to write intuitively. I have a sense of knowing when the words 'feel' right and do not force a story that does not readily flow. You will find a way that is right for you.

Below you will read a 6-step guide on how to write down the plan for your story and how to structure it.

Read a story I wrote for a friend called Heart's Desire.

How to Write a Story for Personal Growth

If like me, you have never written a story since leaving school, then don't worry because the process can be learned. My stories do not compare with a friend's, a wonderful storyteller who has a fantastic gift. I will never aspire to weave the spellbinding magic that all her stories bring forth, therapeutic or otherwise. Yet my stories fulfilled their promise and exceeded my expectations and helped me overcome obstacles in my life.

It may be that even right now as you contemplate those difficuties in your life...those things on which you focus your thoughts of writing...and your subconscious mind has already written the solution. And ...as the pen glides effortlessly across the page, the dawning of a new day casts it's beautiful light...and your mind's eye is filled with clarity of thought and of purpose ...even right now as we speak. .

You will create the solution which best fits you....without logic getting in the way.

A fundamental premise of NLP (neuro linguistic programming)is that:

we already have all the resources we need. This means emotional and internal resources as well as external and material.

6-STEP Guide - How to Write your Metaphor story

• STEP 1:
  Jot down sufficient details about the current real life situation.
  Alternatively if you have a good friend tell them about it and get them to note key points and even some of your own words.
  Note the people, places, things and important characteristics.

  STEP 2:
  Note and include all processes, i.e. verbs and adverbs.
  What's currently happening (or not) and how (e.g. slowly, spiralling downward etc.)
  Pay particular attention to your own language. The words you are use to describe your situation/the problem will provide insight into your current perspective.

  STEP 3:
  Select the content of the metaphor, person, animal, object, etc
  Create a noun in the metaphor for each noun in the problem
  Create a process in the metaphor for each process sin the problem
  Design a story line to provide a solution or desired response
  

  (Don't get hung up here. Personally I have never been able to design a story line. For me it just sort of happens, from my subconscious.)
  

  STEP 4:
  Access and establish new resources in terms of the characters and events in the story.
  These may suggest new ways of thinking, more resourceful emotions, redefiining what's important. They may be real objects or a different course of action.

  STEP 5:
  Ideally provide a solution to the problem, in the story.
  However, Keep your resolution as ambiguous as possible to allow the subconscious to make the appropriate changes

  STEP 6:
  Provide a future pace if possible. This means refer to a future time or place from which to look back - as though the situation is already resolved.
  

  Note: Future pace is an NLP terminology for mentally rehearsing a future result so that the desired outcome occurs automatically.
  

  Read more metaphor stories click here.
  
  

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  How to Write - To Construct Your Metaphor Story

  Think how to map across...for example:
  
  

  Your current situation - can it be likened to this tethered cormorant on Lake Titicaca?
  Are you held back in some way?
  Responsibility tying you down?

  • a person may be likened to an animal, a sportsman, a garden tool etc.
  • the family to a sports team, drama company, ship's crew
  • a behaviour likened to a lizard, traction engine, a digger
  • a belief may be portrayed as a balloon or a burden
  • an environment may be likened to a racetrack, desert or a swamp
  • a skill to a mature cheese or a young vine
  • an emotion may be compared to a sea, or an element such as the wind
  • the workplace may be likened to a 'battlefield,' a beehive,

  How to write - why not practice writing your first story based around the image of the cormorant. (Not sure if he is for the tourists or a real working bird.)

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  A How-to-Write Tip

  To really draw your reader into the story begin with a sentence using visual information, followed by one involving sound or hearing and finally a feeling.

  e.g. The light flickered through the canopy of the trees as the heavily laden waggon trundled slowly along the rugged path. The rhythmic fall of the horses hooves was gently reassuring and the warmth of the sun on his brow transported him back to a time when.......

  Once you have the characters and the theme then the rest usually flows quite easily. You don't have to complete it in one go and it is acceptable to edit it later or the next day.

  There is no right or wrong, and the healing may be in the process rather than the outcome.

  While you would also think that the resulting tale would apply only to the specific person and situation you will find that it can mean many things to many people.

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