Story is our brain’s first language.

And our minds fill in a story’s blanks long before the facts catch up.

Before we consciously interpret an event, our nervous system has already scanned for threat and sent that information to our brains, which in turn builds a narrative about what it means. We’re constantly interpreting events, and not always accurately. 

Research has shown that negative information carries more psychological weight than positive information. That bias isn’t a flaw–it’s survival wiring. 

But what protects us biologically can distort us relationally.

Unexamined stories shape our leadership. They shape how we interpret feedback. They shape how we respond to conflict. They shape culture. They shape trust.

Which is why reclaiming “storyteller” as a skill set matters.

Good storytelling connects to our capacity for joy, along with our ability to connect to what is truly authentic for us, which plays a role in the stories we tell ourselves and others. 

Today’s guest digs into how to become a better storyteller—with yourself and with others—why joy is a skill that helps regulate our state and expand capacity, and how connecting to our authenticity is essential to telling good stories. 

Shabnam Mogharabi is an entertainment executive, producer, and New York Times bestselling author with 20 years of experience in mission-driven media. She is currently the founder of The Joy Brigade, a boutique production company, and also serves as Executive Director at Soul Boom, which creates media to ignite a spiritual revolution. Prior to that, Shabnam was an EVP at film company Participant and also co-founded the uplifting content studio SoulPancake with actor Rainn Wilson, which she ran as CEO for nearly a decade, amassing one billion video views. She has a certificate in positive psychology and believes joy is transformational.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why joy is not about bypassing, but actually helps us navigate and weather our hardest days
• The difference between experiencing the emotion of happiness and cultivating the tools and practices of joy
• Three tools Shabnam returns to over and over in her own life to reset her perspective
• Why we have to play the long game with joy practices through consistency and time
• Key elements that make for an impactful story, and why you don’t need to be an artist or writer to hone your storytelling skills
• How Shabnam built and sustains the trust at the foundation of her 17-year creative partnership with Rainn Wilson

Learn more about Shabnam Mogharabi:

• Website
• The Joy Brigade
• Soul Boom
• Connect on LinkedIn

Learn more about Rebecca:

• rebeccaching.com
• Work With Rebecca
• The Unburdened Leader on Substack
• Sign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader Email

Resources:

• Soul Boom Workbook: Spiritual Tools for Modern Living
• The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
• Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl
• The Goonies
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
• When Harry Met Sally
• Spaceballs