“It is a tragedy to look back on your time and realize that you failed to engage Fully and Freely”.....Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day by Todd Henry
This is the quote that inspired Christy to march off the beaten path and pave a new one towards inspiring women with Stories That Matter.
The day I met Christy was one of my firsts after moving from the United States to the Netherlands. As an international student studying Psychology at Webster University, I strive to break through my comfort zone and interact within a diverse community. Though young, the experiences and people I have met through my travels have given me most valuable lessons.
During my stay, Christy has given me the opportunity to meet inspiring women, partake in events, and dig deeper into finding my own passions. Before I met Christy, I never thought about stories and how impactful they are. Yet, after meeting her and learning about her work, I have come to realize that storytelling is essentially one of the most important traditions of human existence.
Stories give us the chance to create purpose out of our experiences and serve to develop a sense of character as we create the context of ones self, ones past, and ones future. Stories are important and have an intention, and that intention is to be shared.
Without stories we may never have an understanding of where we come from, our ancestors, our cultures, or the identities we all carry and express ourselves as. Our traditions and our motivations can adjust depending on the stories in which we are told. When it comes down to it, stories alter our human experiences.
This philosophy is embedded in Christy’s platform SheSustains which is co-founded with Veena Raju Joseph. SheSustains aims to promote a safe space for women to connect, support, inspire, and nourish one another with stories that matter. Christy aims to build upon this value with her upcoming event on June 15th, which offers personal storytelling, impactful workshops, a chance to connect with strong women and build a collaborative community. A mini-market of handcrafted goods made by women for women as well as a clothing swop is also part of the event.
