The Stories We Tell with Dr. Mary J. Cronin

Everyone has a story but many of us choose to keep them in the quiet crevices of our memory bank. But what if you were inspired to share your story beyond your own cognitive archive and actually put pen to paper? What would your story or even stories be about? What would they say about you and the life you’ve lived? What messages might they hold for your loved ones or even the greater world, both today and for future generations to come?<br />In this episode of Aging GreatFULLy, we welcome special guest, Dr. Mary J. Cronin, an advisor for Write the Family, an intergenerational family storytelling program affiliated with Write the World for a powerful conversation on the potential capacity of sharing our untold stories. Be prepared to be inspired to begin your own storytelling journey or even write a memoir or micro-memoir, as Dr. Cronin addresses how engaging family members in telling stories can strengthen connections across generations, reassure younger family members when they hear how elders coped with disappointments and survived setbacks, create a strong and resilient sense of “intergenerational self” in young people, promote intergenerational communication and relationship building and more. We examine how something as simple as your story evokes memories and has the potential to bind generations together, promote healing, and even provide a sense of personal growth and newfound harmony and meaning-making. <br />Dr. Cronin is a Research Professor at Boston College of Management, and the President of 4Q Catalyst, a business strategy consulting firm. She serves as director of the Boston Authors Club, the Encore Boston Network, and the Center for Ageless Entrepreneurs, and has authored 12 books on managing digital innovation and social impact. Combining research from Emory University, along with her family storytelling expertise, Dr. Mary Cronin shares out how rebuilding resilience and self-confidence comes down to the often-over-looked tradition of sharing stories of elders – from both good times and bad. I