Your Story Matters: Using Your Life as a Light

In this week’s episode, we reflect on how Your Story Matters — how the everyday moments, lessons learned, and quiet choices of your life can become a light for others. We’ll explore the power of simply showing up, sharing your experiences, and living with intention so that your life quietly encourages and inspires those around you.

Pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and let’s talk about how your story — exactly as it is — can shine in ways you may never realize.

NEW! - Companion Resource:
This month’s episode pairs with January’s eWorkbook, The Hero Within, filled with worksheets, tips, and simple tools to help you live out small deeds with purpose.

Transcript

Episode 200 – Your Story Matters: Using Your Life as a Light

Welcome back to the back porch. Go ahead and grab yourself a cup of coffee or hot tea, pull up a rocker, and settle in for a nice visit.

For those of you who are just joining us on the porch, I’m Julie, and this podcast is just one piece of what I do. I’m also a blogger and a writer of both the non-fiction Simple Life series, as well as fiction – mostly in the suspense genre. If you want to learn more about that, just check out the show notes for links to my websites and my books. 

This year we are working on how to Be Someone’s Hero — A Year of Small Deeds, Quiet Strength, and Meaningful Impact through the lens of a Simple Life. Each month we’ll talk about how you can be someone’s hero in different areas of your simple life. And if you want to dig even deeper into the topics and apply what you’re learning, each month I’m offering a downloadable Workbook that follows along with the monthly conversations. In it you will find over 20 pages of thoughtful explanations, Tips, Checklists, Worksheets, a recipe, a simple DIY project and more. To get your copy, simply click the link in the show notes. It will take you straight to my shop.

 Now that we have the business end taken care of, let’s get into today’s episode – Your Story Matters:  Using Your Life as a Light

And trust me. Everyone has a story. Every single one of us. Not just the ones who write books or stand on stages or seem to have something big to tell — but the ones who live quietly, who show up, who walk through ordinary days with hearts full of experience, lessons, and love.

Your story is made up of a thousand little moments — some bright and joyful, others harder, the kind that shape you in ways you don’t see right away. But each one matters. Each one becomes a part of the light you carry — the light that can help someone else find their way.

Sometimes we forget that. We think our stories aren’t exciting enough or special enough to matter. We look at our lives and see the everyday — the dishes, the errands, the routines — and think, “What could my story possibly offer?” But if you pause long enough to look back, you’ll see how much life you’ve lived, how much wisdom you’ve gathered, how many moments of quiet courage, kindness, and strength are woven into your days.

The truth is, most people aren’t looking for a perfect story. They’re looking for a real one. One that reminds them they’re not alone. One that whispers, “You’ll get through this.” One that shows that small acts, steady hearts, and honest efforts really do make a difference.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You just have to be willing to share what you’ve learned — to let your story shine in its own way. Sometimes, that’s as simple as listening to someone else, then saying, “I’ve been there too.” Sometimes it’s showing kindness, sharing laughter, or offering encouragement that comes from a place of understanding.

When you’ve walked through something — joy or sorrow, loss or love, growth or grace — you carry with you the ability to light the way for someone else. Maybe you’ve been through a tough season and learned how to find peace in small things. Maybe you’ve raised a family, tended a garden, built a business, or simply learned the value of slowing down. Those lessons — they’re golden threads, the kind that connect hearts and remind us all that life is still good, still worth savoring.

Your story might be the calm voice someone needs to hear when everything feels uncertain. Or the reminder that they don’t have to rush, or strive, or be perfect. It might not even be something you say — it might just be how you live. The steadiness in your steps. The patience in your voice. The way you keep showing up with kindness, even when no one’s watching. That, too, is storytelling — the kind that doesn’t need words to leave an impression.

I think sometimes we imagine that sharing our stories means sitting down to write them out or speaking them in front of others. And yes, sometimes it does. But most often, it’s simpler than that. It’s woven into our conversations, our friendships, our communities. It’s in the recipes you pass down, the traditions you keep, the advice you offer, the laughter you share. It’s in the lessons you hand to your children or the encouragement you give a neighbor. It’s in the way you live with grace, honesty, and heart.

Maybe you’ve had moments that didn’t go the way you planned. Times when you stumbled, or had to start over, or simply hold on. Those moments matter, too. They’re the ones that give your story depth. They’re what makes you approachable, real, and full of understanding. People don’t connect with perfection — they connect with truth. And the truth is, the hardest parts of our stories often hold the most light.

Think about the people who’ve made a difference in your life. Chances are, they weren’t perfect. They probably didn’t have all the right words or polished answers. But they showed up. They shared from the heart. They let you see their humanity — and in doing so, they gave you hope for your own. That’s what it means to let your life be a light. It’s not about having a spotlight. It’s about being a steady glow — gentle, warm, and real.

You may not see the ripples your story makes, but they’re there. A kind word shared at the right moment. A story told at the right time. A memory passed down that brings comfort or laughter years later. Every act of goodness, every lesson shared, every honest conversation — they all become part of the legacy you leave.

And you don’t need to wait for the “big moments” to share your light. It happens every day, right where you are. A smile for someone who’s hurting. A note tucked into a lunch bag. A story told around the table that reminds everyone how far you’ve come. These are the moments that matter — the ones that shape how others see the world, and themselves.

When you think about using your life as a light, remember — it’s not about being someone else’s hero. It’s about being real. It’s about being present. It’s about choosing to live with kindness, patience, and courage — and trusting that those choices will shine through in ways you might never see.

There will always be people watching quietly, learning from you without ever saying a word. The way you handle challenges. The way you laugh through simple joys. The way you treat others. You may never know it, but your example can help someone else stand taller, try again, or believe that good still exists.

So if you’ve ever thought, “My story isn’t special,” I want you to pause and think again. You’ve lived through days that tested you and moments that shaped you. You’ve learned lessons the hard way and the gentle way. You’ve grown, changed, endured, and loved. That’s a story — one worth telling, one worth living out loud.

The world doesn’t need more perfect people. It needs real ones. People who are willing to share what they’ve learned, to be honest about where they’ve been, and to keep showing up with open hearts. Your story — exactly as it is — holds light. And when you live it with intention, gratitude, and grace, that light grows.

So tell your stories. Pass down your memories. Let your laughter echo and your lessons linger. And when you meet someone who’s struggling, don’t be afraid to say, “I understand. I’ve been there.” Because that’s how your story becomes a bridge — a way to connect, to comfort, and to remind others they’re not alone.

Your story matters. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s yours — full of heart, full of life, full of light. Let it shine in the way you live, in the words you speak, and in the kindness you give. Because somewhere, someone needs the light you carry — and the courage to believe their story matters, too.

So take a deep breath, look back with gratitude, and look forward with hope. You don’t need a grand plan or a polished message. You just need to live your story well — with intention, with love, and with the quiet understanding that every page, every chapter, every story - has purpose.

And one day, when you look back, you’ll see how those simple moments, those honest choices, and those gentle acts of love became something beautiful — a light that shone quietly, faithfully, and bright enough to guide others home.

Because your story matters. And the world is brighter when you share it.

NEW! - Companion Resource:
This month’s episode pairs with January’s eWorkbook, The Hero Within, filled with worksheets, tips, and simple tools to help you live out small deeds with purpose. Get the link in the show notes!