Jen Grisanti

We grow up being taught to believe external things will bring happiness. Many of us learn to equate our own happiness with the level of success we achieve and the external things that come with the achievement. If we meet the right person, if we have the perfect job with...

Higher consciousness: Is this a state that we will all become familiar with? Is it part of our destiny? As an author and a Story/Career Consultant, I study and am fascinated by the concept of how we move from ego into a higher consciousness that benefits the greater good both...

This is the dramatic question that I am exploring in my next book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life, which I am currently writing. I find that as a culture, we are obsessed with the idea of change or bettering ourselves. It is a prevalent subject in books (where the...

In any story, your primary goal as the writer is to make your audience feel you in your story. You can make your story more universal by looking at the goal and the stakes in story from an external, internal and philosophical viewpoint. In story as in life, as time...

Celebrating the New Year often symbolizes a fresh start and a new beginning for each one of us. We reflect on the year past and give gratitude for our successes, think about what we wanted to do but didn't or what we tried to do but perhaps didn't work out....

For the holidays, I love the idea of sparking, lighting and rekindling our spirits through feelings of connection with those around us. How do we take the time to connect when life is so busy and moving so quickly? For many of us, the holiday season is a blur because...

I'm currently writing my new book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life, where I explore the concept of shifting from ego to spirit during life's turning points. Learning how to move from the ego to the spirit is a daily practice for many of us.

The shift from ego...

A strong character can make all the difference in the world in a good story. Crafting a complex character that your audience connects with on a deeper level is the goal for every writer. How do you add depth to your character and your story? What makes the viewer feel...

I am fascinated by this idea of structure versus emotion and which is considered to be a stronger choice when it comes to writing or presenting. Is it more important to "structure" your story or presentation in a way that gives your audience a clear, concise view of what it...

I am fascinated by this idea of structure versus emotion and which is considered to be a stronger choice when it comes to writing or presenting. Is it more important to "structure" your story or presentation in a way that gives your audience a clear concise view of what it...

Often, when our lives shift or hit a major turning point, we suddenly find ourselves in a new role as the messenger. It is during these life experiences that we are forced to dig deeper. Our reality, as we know it, changes and we see the world differently. We realize...

Your past, with all its beautiful and haunted memories, is written in your mind. What if you could learn how to access your past and "re-truth" it? In other words, what if you could re-write your past? Would you find this liberating? Your past and learning how to mine it...

Social networking is continually changing how we share our reactions to breaking news. In a few days, we went from the royal wedding, to the devastation of the tornadoes in the U.S., to the coverage of the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Together we commented on President Obama's speech, Seth...

The goal of the storyteller is to tap into the truth of the emotions inherent in the story that is being told. How do you find the truth? Through the telling of the story, you learn how to reveal it. Emotions are the key to connecting your audience to your...

Where is our gold when it comes to telling strong stories that connect us to our audience? How do we learn to tell stories that touch our spirits and make our hearts come alive? Compelling stories often come from a truthful place that lives and breathes inside the emotional well...

A word that comes to mind in the New Year is purpose. Many people no longer make New Year's resolutions because they know that resolutions often fall by the wayside. The week between Christmas and New Year's leaves many of us feeling in limbo. We think about the promises we...

We all have a story. Everyday, our story grows. Some days are good days and we feel joy and a strong sense of accomplishment. While other days something happens that causes our life to turn upside down and throws us out of balance. We utilize our story to connect us...

Do you ever wonder what drives you to do what you do? What the intentions behind your actions are? Why success is so important to you? What rewards you expect to earn? These questions led me to read the book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us written by...

Every now and then, you experience a moment of sheer joy and pure inspiration inspired by something you read or watch that speaks to you and builds your spirit in a very magical way. This is what happened to me when I read Seth Godin's latest book, Linchpin. In Linchpin,...

Our story forms the core of who we are and how we express ourselves. It is what makes us unique. While I was in yoga today, the yoga instructor told us that it was her 5th anniversary of moving to LA. She described how she came here 5 years ago...