8. How to Structure Your Story

Great stories don’t just inform—they move people. They inspire action, build connection, and reduce shame. One of the best ways to make your story resonate is to give it structure and use engagement techniques that ensure your message cuts through.

A clear, intentional structure helps your audience follow the emotional journey and connect more deeply to your experience. It also helps you stay focused on what matters most.

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Start With a Brain Dump

Before shaping your story, give yourself space to explore it. Use a journal, whiteboard, spreadsheet, or sticky notes to jot down memories, moments, people, or phrases. Don’t worry about organising it yet—just get it out of your head and onto a page. Start with more than you need, and refine it later.

Once you’ve gathered enough raw material, start shaping it with the following structure:

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1. About You

Give your audience context about who you are. When people feel like they know you, they invest in your story more deeply. Help them see themselves in you.

Some prompts to guide you:

• Where did you grow up?
• What were you like as a kid or teenager?
• What hobbies, interests, or groups did you belong to?
• What was your family structure like?
• Did you study, play sport, travel?
• What do you (or did you) do for work?

Paint a relatable picture. Anchor your story in real places, moments, and details.

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2. Your Mental Health Experience

This is the heart of your story. Be honest, but share only what you’re ready to.

Consider:

• What were your main challenges?
• When did they begin?
• Do you remember your first moment thinking, “I’m not okay”?
• How did your experience affect your thoughts, feelings, and body?
• If you were a supporter, what changes did you notice in your loved one?
• How did your relationships, self-image, or behaviour shift?
• Was there a point where you gave up or doubted recovery?
• Did you keep your struggle private, or did you share it?
• Did you receive a diagnosis?
• What questions or inner conflicts were you facing?

This section is where you build empathy by offering truth.

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3. A Turning Point

Most stories include a moment of change—or a series of them. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It could be quiet and internal, but it represents a shift in direction.

Reflect on:

• Was there a rock bottom, or a series of realisations?
• Did you reach out for help—or did help find you?
• Was it a person, an event, a question, or a new belief system that changed you?
• How did your mindset start to shift?
• What role did shame, hope, faith, or acceptance play?
• Did you begin to see yourself differently?

This is where your story moves from struggle to transformation.

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4. Your Takeaways

This is your opportunity to inspire others by showing what’s possible.

Answer questions like:

• How are you today?
• What has changed in how you think, behave, or relate to yourself?
• What support systems or tools helped you most?
• What relationships have shifted?
• What lessons have you learned—and what are you most proud of?
• What beliefs or behaviours have you left behind?
• How do you practice self-care today?
• What’s in your toolkit for staying well?

You don’t need to be fully healed. Just share where you are now and how you got here.

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5. Your Call to Action

End your story with purpose. Give the audience something to hold on to—a small next step, a truth to remember, or a question to reflect on.

Consider:

• What’s one thing you’d want someone with a similar experience to know?
• What do you wish you had known sooner?
• What message do you want to send to your community, family, or society?
• What’s one meaningful change people can make?
• Or… what would you write on a billboard?

Your call to action is the bridge between your story and someone else’s. Make it real. Make it actionable. Make it heartfelt.

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Bring It All Together

Look at your brainstorm and reflections. Now, weave the pieces into a clear, intentional narrative:

• Who you are
• What happened
• What you learned
• What’s next—for you, and maybe for them

That’s your story. It’s powerful. It’s real. And it’s ready to make a difference.