Our Approach
At Storyed we believe overall well-being is a partnership between God, the individual, and a safe community. We believe improving mental health and well-being is a mix of attention and traction in the context of the partnership.
Attention
Modern psychology has shown that what we pay attention to has a profound impact on how we think and behave. This idea aligns with the ancient wisdom of the stoic philosopher Epictetus, who famously said, “You are what you pay attention to.” Interestingly, we see a similar principle reflected in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 6, starting in verse 4, we encounter the Shema, an ancient prayer central to the daily lives of the people of Israel. This prayer also became foundational in the teachings of Jesus. It reads:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
The Shema highlights the importance of where we direct our attention. It emphasizes that focusing on God not only shapes our actions but also transforms our hearts and minds.
If we desire to be transformed into the image of Jesus, where we place our attention is crucial. By focusing on God’s truth, we allow it to shape who we are. As we direct our attention to Jesus, we begin to abide in him. We experience his love, grace, mercy, delight, and affection for us.
However, our minds are shaped by a broken world. We often develop mental models that pull our attention away from God and toward our own anxieties, fears, and self-reliance. This disconnection from God’s affection tends to lead to unhealthy patterns of thought.
Our community’s mission is to help redirect our attention to Jesus. Through intentional practices and resources, we guide one another to focus on his love and grace. By doing so, we create new, healthier mental models that center on Christ’s strength, love, and grace. This shift in focus builds our capacity to love others and fosters positive, healthy mental models.
This is why attention is at the heart of our approach.
Traction
Another vital aspect of our approach is traction—a concept inspired by the storytelling community and profoundly influenced by the work of Donald Miller, Viktor Frankl, Kendall Haven, and Gallup. Traction refers to narrative traction, the power of stories to shape our lives and move us forward.
While attention focuses on past patterns and improving mental health, traction is future-oriented. It’s about helping people discover the stories they want to tell with their lives and equipping them with the tools and disciplines to live those stories daily. By finding and sustaining narrative traction, individuals begin to experience a deeper sense of meaning and purpose, which significantly enhances their overall well-being.
Our traction resources are designed to guide individuals from feeling stuck to living a life of purpose and joy. They help people identify their unique stories and align their daily actions with their values and goals. This process fosters a meaningful, joyful, and purposeful life.
At the core of this approach is Jesus, the ultimate hero of humanity’s story. He created us for His story, revealed himself through story, and saves us through the story of the gospel. Jesus invites us into his grand narrative and guides us as we will out our own.
Through our traction resources, we help individuals experience the abundant life Jesus promises—a life filled with purpose, meaning, and joy.