Feed Your Soul
Today is National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day! Take this opportunity to feed your soul with some stories of inspiration from the people in your life.
The first Chicken Soup for the Soul book came out in 1993, and a whopping 250 of them have been published since then (they put out a book every month!). Each one is a collection of stories and poems meant to uplift and nourish the reader. They are true stories submitted by folks from all over the world – as the creators describe it, “ordinary people having extraordinary experiences.”
Whether or not you consider your own stories extraordinary, the premise that we can help each other by sharing our stories is a beautiful one. So why not write your own “Chicken Soup” stories?
Recruit your family, immediate or extended, and maybe even your friends and neighbors. Ask everybody to write one or more stories or poems, 1200 words or less, about things that have happened to them that might interest, inspire, or instruct others who are going through something similar. Think obstacles you’ve overcome, epiphanies you’ve had, interesting characters (human and non-) who have crossed your path...and if you’d like to use more specific story prompts, Chicken Soup for the Soul posts ideas connected to all of their upcoming books on their website! Some of the current story starters include:
Memories of the holiday season
Who rescued who?
I can’t believe I did that!
Everyday miracles
Once you’ve gathered your stories and poems, put them together into a book (physical or virtual) and name it – something like “Chicken Soup for the Arizona Soul” (you get the idea). Then share it! And be sure to keep a copy close at hand so you can grab it when you need a bowl of inspiration.
If you are motivated to share your stories beyond your inner circle, ANYONE can submit to be published in the Chicken Soup books at this link. But we also invite you to share your funny/heartwarming/soul-nourishing stories with us, either in person or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
